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Most Common Oral Health Problems in Growing Children

  • By Milena Marguenski
  • •
  • 15 Jul, 2022
  • •

If you thought that oral health problems are only for adults, then think again. The first teeth start appearing by 4 to 5 months of age. Then by the age of 3, kids have a full set of teeth. This is the time when parents have to be extremely careful about oral hygiene.

By the age of 6-7, the primary teeth start to fall out to make space for the permanent teeth. These permanent teeth are the ones that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. However, there are certain oral problems such as tooth decay, lip sucking, and early teeth loss.

Let’s take a look at these common oral health problems.

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

This is a tooth decay condition found in babies when their teeth come in constant contact with sugars from fruit juices, milk, sugar water, and other sweet drinks. These lead to the formation of bacteria in their mouth which can cause tooth decay.

The baby teeth help in guided development of permanent teeth. However, tooth decay or other problems can affect the growth of permanent teeth, resulting in crowded growth or crooked teeth. It is necessary to ensure that the amount of sugar you give to a baby is limited to let proper teeth grow.

Thumb Sucking

It is normal for a baby to suck on their thumb, finger, or pacifiers. It helps them get a sense of comfort and emotional security. But it can be a problem if the habit persists beyond the age of 5. The intensity and duration of thumb sucking can force the teeth out of alignment causing dental problems.

Continuous sucking can lead to overbite which in future can affect their speech and pronunciation of certain words. Along with this, the upper and lower jaw can lose their alignment.

Tongue Thrusting and Lip Sucking

Tongue thrusting exerts pressure on the front teeth, applying pressure on them thus pushing them outward and out of alignment. This is another way in which a child can misalign their jaw and cause overbite. It can affect their speech. You will need to consult a pathologist to cure this.

Lip Sucking is another problematic habit that a child can develop on their own. The continuous sucking of the lower lip can affect the teeth causing an overbite. The best way to deal with this is to consult a pediatrician and let them guide you properly to prepare a plan.

Early Tooth Loss

In some cases, a child can lose their early teeth due to injury, crowding, or tooth decay. If the early teeth are lost, the permanent teeth might shift from their place. These misaligned teeth can cause problems from causing trouble in chewing to joint problems.

In case your child is losing teeth early, you might want to get them checked by a dentist. Your dentist might suggest a space maintainer which helps in leaving space for the permanent teeth open. Your child’s pediatrician might suggest some diet changes to prevent the loss.

Grinding

Babies and toddlers develop the habit of clenching and grinding their jaws because of the discomfort of growing teeth. While some children stop this habit of grinding once the teethfully emerge, some continue this from habit. This can result in tooth decay and sensitive teeth.

Conclusion

Your child might think that going to a dentist is a scary experience, but you can make it fun was well. Schedule regular visits with your dentist and avoid these problems. Visit Park Dental Care Brooklyn and our pediatric dentistry experts can help your child get healthy teeth and a glowing smile.

Do's and Don'ts When You Have Braces

By Milena Marguenski • 02 Aug, 2022
Everyone dreams of having the perfect smile that will make their lives better. The ideal dazzling smile comes with perfectly aligned white teeth. A good dentist can help you through the entire process, including acquiring financial aid. Get braces only from a dentist who will hold your hand through the entire process.

Even after you get braces, you will need to adjust your lifestyle to take care of them. But it’s a small price to pay for a lifetime of perfect teeth. Let’s take a look at these do’s and don’ts when you have braces.

Top 5 Best and Worst Foods for Your Dental Health

By Milena Marguenski • 02 Aug, 2022
What to eat or not to eat for optimal dental health. Here’s some food for thought!

A person has to choose their food carefully and decide what is best and worst for them. Healthy eating habits improve not only your dental health but also your bodily functions. But a lot of foods that look healthy can have a bad impact on your dental health.

To lead a long happy life, you have to ensure that your eating habits are just right. But on the other hand, those big juicy hamburgers and slices of pizza are so very tempting. Consuming junk food on top of living a bad lifestyle is even more unhealthy.

Let’s take a look at the most common best and worst food items for your dental health.

Daily Habits That Spoil Your Teeth

By Milena Marguenski • 28 Jul, 2022

You might think that brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing is a great way of  cleaning your teeth , but there are other things that can affect your dental hygiene. On a daily basis, there are so many things we do intentionally and unintentionally that cause damage to our teeth.

These habits are not good for your teeth and  gums  as they cause serious damage to them. Food and beverage related habits that harm the teeth are common knowledge but there are some not so obvious habits too.

Let’s look at these habits that cause damage to your teeth and gums.

Which Is Better- Professional Teeth Whitening or Over-The-Counter Kits?

By Milena Marguenski • 18 Jun, 2022
Over the years, teeth whitening procedures have gained huge popularity among people, especially younger generations. As soon as people turn 18, they reach out to dental professionals to get that bright smile.

With the procedures’ popularity, several pharmaceutical companies launched their over-the-counter teeth whitening kits. This made the procedure more accessible and cheaper as compared to a professional session.

But which one is better? Let’s understand both the procedures first.

Types of Gum Diseases and How to Treat Them

By Milena Marguenski • 15 Jun, 2022
The lifestyle choices you make daily affect your health positively or negatively. This is true when it comes to gum diseases, as well. If diagnosed in the early stages, we can reverse the damage caused to the gums.

However, if the damage is left untreated, it can lead to irreversible damage. According to the CDC , about 42.7% people by the age of 30 years face some sort of periodontal disease. These diseases increase with age.

Let’s take a further look into the type of disease and how they can be treated.

6 Questions You Must Ask Your Dentist During Your First Consultation 

By Milena Marguenski • 26 Apr, 2022

Whether you have recently moved to a new town or your previous doctor has relocated their clinic, you probably are having a lot of questions to ask your new dentist on your first appointment.

To help you out, in this article, we’ve rounded the six most essential queries you should inquire about from your dentist during your first consultation. So, read on to find out more:-

Effective Ways to Deal With Tooth Sensitivity 

By Milena Marguenski • 20 Apr, 2022

Dentin hypersensitivity or sensitive teeth, as the name suggests, is the response to certain stimuli such as hot and cold. Have you ever felt discomfortable after sipping a spoonful of hot tomato soup or taking a big ice cream bite? If so, then you’re not alone here. Sudden jittery pain from hot or cold foods is a clear sign of sensitive teeth.

The sensitivity may be temporary or permanent. It may affect one tooth or several teeth. There are numerous causes for tooth sensitivity such as gum disease, tooth decay, having acidic foods, and more, and it can be treated by making some tweaks to your oral hygiene habits.

Here, in this article, we’ve rounded up four effective ways to beat tooth sensitivity, so let’s scroll down and find out:-

5 Effective Home Remedies To Treat Gingivitis 

By Milena Marguenski • 01 Mar, 2022

You will be surprised to know that more than 47% of American adults aged 30 and older have some or the other form of gum problem.

Gingivitis is one of the common gum diseases which can lead to redness and swelling in your gingiva - the part of your gum.

7 Most Common Dental Issues

By Milena Marguenski • 17 Feb, 2022

Do you know over 3.5 billion people around the world are suffering from dental issues?

 That is a big figure!

 Oral diseases affect people from all walks of life - kids, adults, and seniors.

How To Take Care of Your Invisalign?

By Milena Marguenski • 28 Jan, 2022

You will be surprised to know that nearly  9 out of 10 people  have misaligned teeth.

Malocclusion or misaligned teeth is one of the most common orthodontic disorders that can affect your overall personality.

This dental issue can be due to various reasons like thumb-sucking, accident, oral tumor, and gum disease. Whatever be the reason, it’s advisable to fix misaligned teeth before they do more damage.

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