Children’s oral health is impacted by several issues, such as tooth decay, earlier tooth loss, tongue thrusting, lip sucking, and thumb sucking. A child’s general health and well-being depend on having good baby teeth, even if they will eventually be replaced by permanent teeth.
The general health of children depends on their oral health. Early adoption of healthy dental practices can help avoid problems like gum disease and cavities. To monitor growth and address issues as soon as they arise, routine dental checkups should begin as soon as the first tooth appears.
According to Dranewsome strong teeth and gums are a result of encouraging kids to brush and floss twice a day, use fluoride toothpaste, and eat a balanced diet. Instilling these behaviors and making dental care fun for kids are important tasks for parents to do. Reducing the intake of sugary drinks and snacks can also assist avoid tooth decay. A lifetime of good smiles is built on early dental hygiene habits, which also boost general health and self-esteem.
1)Decay of Baby Bottle Tooth-
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Baby’s teeth might develop baby bottle tooth decay, also known as early childhood caries, nursing caries, or nursing bottle syndrome if they are frequently exposed to sugar-containing beverages such fruit juices, milk, formula, fruit juice diluted with water, sugar water, or any other sweet beverage. Infants who are breastfed and go to sleep with milk still in their mouths run the risk of developing dental cavities.
Tooth decay is caused by oral bacteria that consume carbohydrates in the mouth. Tooth decay can be painful and make eating and chewing difficult if left untreated. Furthermore, baby teeth act as “space savers” for permanent teeth. Baby teeth cannot guide permanent teeth into their correct positions if they are broken or destroyed, which could lead to crowded or crooked permanent teeth. A tooth abscess caused by severely decaying infant teeth may spread infection to other parts of the body.
2)Sucker Thumb-
Babies sucking their thumbs, fingers, pacifiers, or toys is common and healthful. Children who object-suck feel more emotionally secure and at ease. However, dental issues may arise if thumb sucking persists after the age of five when permanent teeth start to erupt.
The teeth may be forced out of position and protrude, resulting in an overbite, depending on how often, how hard, and how long the sucking occurs. Your child may struggle with word pronunciation. Furthermore, the roof of the mouth may develop abnormalities and the upper and lower jaws may become misaligned.
3)Thrusting of The Tongue-
The behavior of pressing the top of the tongue up against the lips to close the mouth while swallowing is known as tongue thrusting. Similar to sucking on one’s thumb, tongue thrusting presses against the front teeth, forcing them out of line and causing them to protrude. This can result in an overbite and could hinder the development of correct speech.
Get in touch with a speech pathologist if you observe any tongue-pushing signs. This individual can create a therapy plan that will assist your child in strengthening their chewing muscles and changing their swallowing habits.
4)Lip-sucking | Oral Health-
Lip sucking is the practice of continuously placing the lower lip under the upper front teeth. Lower lip sucking can happen on its own or in conjunction with thumb sucking. The same issues that arise with thumb sucking and tongue pushing also arise from this technique, including an overbite. The same procedures that apply to quitting thumb sucking also apply to breaking the habit.
5)Early Loss of Teeth-
The main causes of a child losing their baby teeth too soon are usually dental decay, trauma, or insufficient jaw space. The neighboring teeth may tilt or shift if teeth fall out before the permanent teeth erupt. There might not be enough area for a permanent tooth to attempt to erupt into its designated space. The erupting tooth could be crooked.
Several issues can arise from crooked or misaligned teeth, including issues with the temporomandibular joint and difficulty chewing properly. Your child’s dentist might suggest a space maintainer if they lose a tooth too soon. A space maintainer is a metal or plastic appliance that keeps the gap created by the missing tooth open. Once the permanent teeth erupt, your dentist will remove them.
6)Dental Diseases-
A dental emergency can occur at any moment. Children who are engaged in sports, playing rough with their siblings, or falling from a bike are all activities that might result in dental accidents. Teeth chipping, breaking, or cracking can be the result of these accidents.
If your child does lose their permanent tooth, get in touch with the dentist right away to schedule an emergency appointment and have the tooth extracted. Put the tooth in a glass of clean water, saline solution, or milk. With the use of a retainer, the permanent tooth may be able to reattach itself once the dentist places it back into its socket. See additional advice on protecting your child’s grin.