4 Dental Habits That Can Damage Your Child's Teeth




Your child’s dental health starts long before their adult teeth erupt. Great oral habits start when your child is just a baby, and should continue through adulthood in order to make sure they have the long lasting and healthy smile they deserve.
Here are 4 bad dental habits that can impact your children’s smile for a lifetime.

1.     Don’t wait until a minor problem becomes a larger problem. Decay that is left untreated can become a problem that ends up needing a pulpotomy or root canal before all is said and done. “Root canals and pulpotomies can be expensive and very painful,” says pediatric dentist, Dr.Cameron Fuller, “and generally require a crown when completed to protect the tooth.”
2.     Drinking from a bottle at night is one of the most damaging problems for your child. It can become a very difficult habit for your child to break, as they become used to the comfort they get from having that nighttime bottle. The problem is that milk left on the gums and teeth at night, mixes with the bacteria in the mouth causing decay and bottle rot.
3.     Thumb sucking beyond the normal age and for long periods of time. While some thumb sucking is normal, it eventually can push the teeth forward causing permanent damage to their smile.
4.     Nail biting is a habit that seems tiny, but can lead to bruxism that in turn can lead to jaw pain and sensitive teeth. When your child bites their nails, try giving them something else to chew on such as sugar free gum.

For more information on protecting your child’s teeth contact Dr. Fuller & his team today.

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