Many parents avoid dental checkups of their infants considering the fact that they will eventually lose their baby teeth, but baby teeth help a child speak and chew well. According to the American Dental Association, it is recommended that a child be seen by a dentist by the age of 1. Oral health care is such an essential part of our overall health that instilling it in our children from the beginning is very important. The best example to teach them about dental health care is by showing them how you yourself take care of your teeth and your overall oral health. Doing these little things together like brushing or flossing will make kids want to indulge in an activity that otherwise sounds pretty boring.
Oral Health Problems in Children
There are many problems that a child can face during the early years. If not given proper care, a child can suffer from serious dental issues ahead in life. Some common problems that may take place are-
1. Baby Bottle Tooth Decay –
If a baby’s teeth are frequently in contact with sugary drinks like breast milk or fruit juices, baby bottle tooth decay can occur. If decayed teeth aren’t treated, these can cause pain and make it difficult to chew and eat. Also, baby teeth are like a foundation for adult teeth and if not treated well, these will cause problems in the growth of permanent teeth, in later years.
2. Thumb Sucking –
Normally, all kids suck their thumbs and it’s cute, but when it’s time for the growth of permanent teeth, it isn’t. Thumb sucking can cause a disruption in the natural pattern of teeth growth like protrusion and difficulty in pronunciation, misalignment of the lower jaws. This can lead to getting braces and other painful procedures being performed to treat these issues in the teenage years.
3. Tongue Thrusting –
The habit of sealing the mouth for swallowing by thrusting forward the tongue against the lips is tongue thrusting. This can again lead to misalignment of teeth and improper speech development.
4. Lip Sucking –
Lip sucking repeatedly holds the lower lip between your teeth. This can lead to misalignment issues, overbiting and also damage the lower lip.
5. Early Tooth Loss –
Premature losing of a child’s primary teeth usually occurs due to tooth decay, oral deformities or any other injuries. If not treated immediately, this can cause crowding of teeth at one place and result in the crooked tooth as well.
How to prevent these issues?
1. To prevent baby bottle tooth decay-
- Do not dip your baby’s pacifier into any sweet liquids like sugar syrups or honey.
- Try limiting sugary drinks to only mealtimes for the baby. At all other times, only give them water in sippers.
- Don’t give your baby anything to hold in their mouth when napping. If they absolutely have to, make sure to fill the bottle with only water.
2. For getting rid of the habit of thumb sucking and lip sucking, praise your child and give them little rewards for time periods where they didn’t do it. For babies, you can try by making them wear gloves or tie their thumbs with a handkerchief. If this habit is seen in older children, try to find out the reason.
3. To stop your child from tongue thrusting, contact a speech pathologist. They can devise a treatment plan as early as possible and teach the child a new pattern of swallowing.
4. Early tooth loss can be prevented by taking care that the child has nutritional and sugar-free foods.