Children are susceptible to tooth decay due to their lack of control in their diet and the fact that they haven’t learned proper oral hygiene yet. You can protect your child from tooth decay by being more aware of what causes decay.
Babies falling asleep sucking their thumbs may be cute, but the habit can have consequences if it is continued into the later years of life. This is especially true if your child sucks their thumb outside of bed, which can cause teeth to shift in the mouth. The good, though, is that permanent teeth will come in and often corrects any problems children may have with their primary teeth.
If you’re concerned about your child’s thumb sucking habit, visiting a Bella Smiles professional can help. Our dentists can use strategies to deal with thumb sucking and prevent the behaviour from occurring by using positive reinforcement as well as dental appliances.
Pacifiers are a great way to keep children calm and ease pain in babies, especially during medical procedures. They also reduce the risk of infant death due to SIDS and are much easier for children to let go of than sucking the thumb is. However, prolonged use of pacifiers also has negative effects on the health of teeth. They can often cause irregular bites and alignment issues, so it’s best to stop the behavior when your child is comfortable enough.
Breastfeeding gives babies the nutrients and immunity boost needed to grow into healthy children and avoid infections, illnesses, and other health issues. Many people believe that breastfeeding causes decay in teeth, but this is not the case. Bottles containing sugary drinks are what increases the risk of tooth decay in children.
This is known as bottle rot and it occurs when your baby’s primary teeth have become infected. Falling asleep with bottles in the mouth is a big contributor, especially when they contain juice, formula, or milk – all of these options contain sugar. Try giving your child water when they sleep as well as reducing the sugar in their diet.
Having your child’s teeth be as healthy as possible is a priority for most parents, so keep your child’s oral health in mind even before teeth have come in.