Overview
It is not debatable as to whether or not every parent would want their child/children to stay healthy. Of course, every sane parent would always want the best for their children. This has to do mostly with emboldening them to eat foods that are healthy, and also take care of their oral health. However, it is important to know that there are some certain early dental challenges that may pose a threat to your child’s oral health. This might not be something too noticeable on the surface but can eventually affect, not just your child’s dental health, but overall wellbeing.
That being said, what then are the most common early dental issues that parents should know?
1. Thumb Sucking
Babies have this natural urge to suck. They just want to suck on something and the closest thing to them is their hand in general or just the thumbs. Also, with time, the urge usually reduces after the age of six months. Other children continue sucking on their thumbs to soothe themselves or give themselves pleasure. However, it becomes a problem if thumb-sucking continues after the age of five (5). This, in rare cases, is either a response to an emotional problem or anxiety. Continued thumb-sucking results in putting pressure on the roof of the mouth and sides of the upper jaw, which can eventually lead to the narrowing of the upper jaw, thereby leading to the misalignment of the teeth. The problem with thumb sucking is not just the unattractiveness of the teeth but it can also lead to speech impairment and jaw pain.
2. Tongue Thrusting
I bet you’ve come across cute little children or pictures of little ones with their tongues somewhat peeking out from their mouths. This act is known as tongue thrusting. Although it sort of looks super cute, like thumb-sucking, it can lead to dental issues in the long run.
That being said, what really is tongue thrusting? This is the infantile habit of pushing the tongue between the alveolar ridges or incisor teeth during the initial stages of suckling and swallowing. Continued tongue thrusting beyond infancy will, peradventure, lead to anterior open occlusion, abnormal tongue function, or jaw deformation. The good news is that a pediatric dentist at Beyond Smile Dental Clinic can help fix any issue caused by tongue thrusting.
3. Early Tooth Loss
It is true that babies’ teeth are temporary, hence, they will eventually fall out before the permanent teeth grow. The problem is the misconception that people have thinking it’s fine if the temporary teeth fall out earlier than they should. The truth is that when babies’ teeth are lost before their due time, it can affect the development of permanent adult teeth. When gaps are created by early tooth loss. It can result in the misalignment of other teeth, thereby causing speech impairments or even leading to bad/open bites. We also have cases where permanent teeth erupt at an odd angle, leading to crooked teeth. The best thing to do to avoid such dental issues is to keep infants’ teeth healthy and in place at all times until they are ready to fall out naturally.
What should you do to the child’s temporary teeth to keep them in place? Brushing and flossing regularly is key. Note that brushing and flossing are super important to children as they are for adults. If you don’t know how to begin caring for your children’s teeth as you should, please see a dentist help you through. It’s best to see your dentist when the baby is a year old, afterwards, visit every six months. Dear parents, take your children’s health seriously, as childhood dental issues can be very serious to deal with.
4. Baby Bottle Decay
This occurs when infants’ teeth are exposed to too much sugar. Children can be very tricky. They know the taste of everything they are being fed with, and they respond accordingly. For instance, if children are being fed with something sweet, they know. They also know if they are being fed with something without sweetness in it. So, they will always crave for and want the food that contains sweetness over the one that doesn’t. As a parent, don’t fall for their tricks. This is so important because you need to have their health in mind as a priority. Feed them with the right diets. If precaution is not taken and children always feed on sugary substances, the end result is decay. Why? Because if they continue to drink sugary beverages for a long time, the sugar continuously coats their tiny teeth, which eventually leads to a cavity. So, as a parent, what are you going to do? Satisfy their cravings or protect them from dental problems?
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