Bad Habits for Children’s Teeth

We have listed some of the most common bad habits for children’s teeth and how to avoid them.

  1. Neglecting dental visits is still a huge problem but the earlier your child sees a dentist, the sooner you can help them to develop a good oral care routine. Generally, a child needs to see a dentist soon after they get their first tooth.
  2. Continuing night-time breastfeeding after a child begins to get their baby teeth exposes these teeth to lactose in breastmilk. This increases the risk of childhood tooth decay. If you do feed your child during the night, be sure to clean their mouth after feeding.
  3. Giving your child a night-time bottle might soothe them, but you shouldn’t fill it with milk or any sugary liquid. Instead, give them plain water.
  4. Swallowing fluoride toothpaste isn’t good for children’s teeth and it’s possible your dentist may recommend using non-fluoridated toothpaste until your child has the ability to spit, usually by age 2.
  5. If your child still sucks their thumb when their permanent teeth come in, then it can cause orthodontic problems. Most children grow out of thumb-sucking by age 4 but if your child continues then your dentist can provide advice on how to gently break the habit.

Apr, 09, 2018

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