Bad Habits That Can Harm Your Kids' Teeth

The day a child's first baby tooth sprouts, their dental health is set in motion. This suggests that acceptable dental practices should be encouraged as early as possible while being reinforced from time to time.

According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, about 19 percent of kids between the ages of 2 and 19 have untreated cavities. However, these issues can be ignored altogether if healthy oral habits are incorporated early on while bad oral habits are avoided.

Some of these bad habits include the following:

• Sleeping While Sucking on a Baby Bottle: A condition known as bottle mouth by some doctors results from nighttime bottle-feeding. It can cause pitting and discoloration on the teeth. If the mouth isn't cleaned overnight, the sugar from the milk or juice remains on the teeth for a long time and can eventually eat the enamel away.
• Thumb Sucking: A little thumb sucking is normal for babies and younger children. It won't cause any damage if they grow out of it on time. However, if they continue to suck on their thumbs when permanent teeth start to appear, it can result in the teeth' misalignment. This can further lead to various issues, such as difficulty in chewing.
• Neglecting Dentist Appointments: After a few months have passed since your toddler's first teeth sprouted, your child must regularly visit the dentist. This will help ensure that any oral issue that your child may suffer from gets treated early. The general recommendation is to visit the dentist at least once every six months. However, your dentist may recommend more frequent visits if your child is at an increased risk of tooth decay.

If you live in Delaware and are looking for a dentist for your kid, consider visiting Dr. Ben Kwok at Little Smiles Of Delaware. Not only is he a skilled pediatric dentist, but he is also great with kids and will ensure your kids get the best treatment.