5 Common Dental Problems in Children

5 Common Dental Problems in Children

Proper oral care begins during childhood. By encouraging the appropriate habits during your child’s childhood you can prevent dental complications and orthodontic treatments such as braces when they’re older. That’s why it’s important to catch common dental problems in children as early as possible – to ensure that they don’t grow into more substantial issues down the road. So, what are some of the most common dental problems faced by children?

 1. “Baby Bottle” Tooth Decay

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay occurs when a baby’s teeth is in constant contact with sugars from foods and drinks, or when breastfed babies fall asleep with unswallowed milk in their mouth. This can cause tooth decay on your child’s baby teeth which can pause tooth pain and accelerate the pace at which the child’s baby tooth falls out which can lead to issues with the growth of permanent teeth.

2. Lack of Proper Oral Care

Life doesn’t mimic the movies, so we understand that reminding the children to brush their teeth doesn’t always get the job done. However, it’s important to instil a sense of importance regarding oral health at a young age. Ensuring that you keep to a routine when you are brushing your toddler’s teeth and encouraging that routine as they become independent enough to do so is a simple way to ensure your child picks up the right oral health habits.

3. Thumb Sucking

If your child continues to suck their thumb beyond the age of five – when their permanent teeth are due to grow – dental problems in the form of overbites, jaw misalignment, and a malformed mouth roof can occur. Speech impediments may also arise.

4. Tongue Thrusting

Tongue Thrusting is when your child swallows their food or drink by thrusting the tip of the tongue against the lips. This exerts pressure on the teeth which can cause them to misalign which creates an overbite. Much like thumb sucking, speech impediments can arise in children who tongue thrust.

5. Early Tooth Loss

The loss of baby teeth too early can cause a number of issues for the development and alignment of permanent teeth, and usually occurs due to one of the other common issues listed here. The early loss of a tooth can also occur to lack of space in the jaw or an injury from play.

These dental problems are known by dentists, and can be alieved or treated if they are found early during childhood development. For preventative tips from our expert dentists, contact Somerset Dental and receive great dental health advice that will keep you out of the dentist’s chair.

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