How to Help Your Kid Beat a Bad Dental Habit?

You shouldn’t wait long to take your kid for an orthodontic checkup if you’re worried about the effects a bad dental habit can have during infancy. As soon as your child has permanent teeth, you can take them for a visit to the orthodontist’s office. Early treatment can prevent later malocclusion problems which would mean a more complex treatment plan.

Parents worry about the effects of thumb-sucking or the use of pacifiers. Orthodontic treatment can prevent the negative effects of these bad habits. There is no need to wait until the child needs teeth straightening.

50% of adults need orthodontic treatment or bite corrections. We can say it’s fairly normal to need braces or other dental devices. Make your child’s life easier and let a dental expert check their denture yearly.

Pediatric orthodontists can detect most malocclusion issues before your child becomes a teenager. What are those? Malocclusion is the name of teeth alignment issues received. Crossbites, open bites, overbites, and underbites are all malocclusion problems.

All of these problems develop earlier rather than later in life. For instance, overbites are the most common alignment problem, and thumb-sucking is the principal cause of mild to severe cases of overbites.

You can stop the consequences of these problems with early attention from your pediatric orthodontist.

Thumb-Sucking Is a Bad Dental Habit

Thumb-sucking comes naturally to kids, so why is it negative? People often satanize the habit some kids have of sucking stuff. For them, that’s a calming activity, even entertaining.

The truth is that thumb-sucking can’t hurt your kid’s denture before they are three years old. Deformation and overbites come if the kid continues with the habit after that age.

Due to the age limit, some parents prefer to eliminate the habits even before their child has teeth. If that it’s not your case, here are some recommendations.

Negotiation

Toddlers can be very stubborn, so negotiation is the key for them. Kids learn from the example and don’t like restrictions -You have to work on getting them to understand that thumb-sucking is no longer okay. Develop a system of incentives to get them involved and excited about the process.

Bad-Tasting Nail Polish

A bitter nail polish alone may be a little too rough for most kids. Use it as a last resource trick, or if your child needs an extra push at reminding to not suck their thumb.

The oldest trick in the book has a similar effect. Cover your child’s thumb with one of their socks or wrap a band-aid on it. If you cover the finger, it will be less appealing.

Tongue Thrusting

What is tongue thrusting? That’s the non-clinical name for when the tongue sits in the wrong place while talking, eating, or swallowing. This is normal in babies who have no teeth, but if the reflex persists after the primary teeth form, it becomes abnormal.

Tongue thrust must be prevented since it can cause open bite, another bad bite problem. Open bites interfere with the development of speech and swallowing abilities.

You can treat this problem with orthodontic appliances such as orthodontic spikes (sound horrible, we know, but inoffensive) or through orofacial therapy.

Tooth Grinding Is Another Bad Dental Habit

Bruxism is a problem children and adults can have. It’s an unconscious habit that consists in grinding your teeth. It causes alignment problems and, when done overnight, sleep apnea.

But tooth grinding is normal in children. If your kid doe not shows signs of mandible pain or sleep problems, you should not worry about this. Most children outgrow this habit, and no treatment is necessary.

Teaching Children to Brush Their Teeth

As you know, oral hygiene is vital for grownups and kids. Most parents ignore they should start brushing their kid’s teeth as soon as the dentition process starts.

It’s a process to get your baby used to the habit, but it’s as necessary as clipping their nails. Baby teeth can suffer from cavities as any other tooth. Since you can’t take your one-year-old baby for professional cleaning, you have to wash their mouths religiously twice a day.

How Can I Get My Child to Brush Their Teeth?

It has to be fun, like everything they love to do. The sooner you start, the easier it will be for them to adjust. How can you make it fun?

When your child grows a little older to be able to hold the toothbrush in their hands, find the most eye-catching, interactive toothbrush ever and get it for them. They’ll be thrilled to use it. Get two, so they can hold one, and you can do the actual cleaning with the other.

If you are using toothpaste, which you should, make sure it tastes good. Most tubes of toothpaste are sweet because kids love sugar, but toothpaste should not contain regular sweeteners. Xylitol is a great sugar substitute and does not harm dental health.

And last but not least, you could help establish the habit by example. Start brushing at the same time and room as your kid. Learn songs related to the theme and sing them while washing your mouths together.

Find the Right Pediatric Dentist for Your Kid in Roanoke

You can teach your kid not to fear dentists as most adults do. But it would be best if you took them to a pediatric dentistry clinic.

Pediatric dentists are different. They have to be fun, very patient, and friendly. The dental office must look amicable and eye-catching so your kid wants to return.

Schedule an appointment for a dental examination for your kid at Parkway Pediatric Dentistry, and have fun while you take care of their oral health.