Once your baby grows up to be a toddler, you will have to make some changes to the way you take care of them. That will change once more when your toddler grows a little bit older into a child, and one of the things you need to take special care of is their teeth.
The most common dental problems among kids may be caused by things you did not think would be detrimental to their oral health. So, in order to properly care for your child’s teeth, do not forget to take them to a pediatric dentist in Utah County for regular check-ups. Also, watch out for the following common dental problems among children.
Thumb Sucking
It may look endearing for you, and perhaps you let your child do this just so you could have a few minutes of total silence before your little one starts yapping again. But thumb sucking is detrimental to your child’s dental health. If you do not curb this behavior right away, they might grow up with badly formed teeth.
You see, when children suck their thumb, their teeth and jawbone are still soft and malleable. The shape of their thumb will affect the way their teeth and jawbone develop. This is why most adolescents who wear braces say that thumb sucking is what caused their teeth to protrude.
Fortunately, there are ways to remove this habit from your child. First, you should see if your child is using thumb sucking as a stress-reliever because most kids do. If they suck their thumb whenever they feel anxious, try giving your little one a hug or calming them down, instead of letting them suck their thumb.
You could also reward them whenever they succeed in avoiding sucking their thumb. If they start to bring their thumb to their mouth, remind them what thumb sucking could do to their teeth. And if they stop, give them a hug or tell them what a wonderful kid they are for avoiding that habit.
Lip Sucking
Just like thumb sucking, lip sucking could also lead to misalignment of the teeth when your child grows older. Help them get rid of this habit by following the suggestions mentioned earlier.
Tooth Decay via Baby Bottle
This does not exactly mean that baby bottles will cause tooth decay. What causes tooth decay is the sugar content in the baby bottle. Cow’s milk, formula, juice, and even breast milk have sugar in them. If your child drinks those from a baby bottle regularly, the sugar will serve as food for the bacteria in their mouth, which will then lead to tooth decay.
So, what should you do? Your kid can drink those liquids when they are hungry. But for the rest of the day, their baby bottle should only be filled with water in order to avoid tooth decay.
These are some of the most common dental problems your child could face. You should know more about these things if you want your kid’s teeth to grow properly and be healthy. So, be vigilant and help your little one take care of their teeth.
