Habits You Should Help Young Kids Drop as They Get Older

When kids are little, certain habits can be endearing and even cute. However, as kids get older, these habits can cause them problems over time. Here are three common childhood habits that can harm your child’s teeth.

Teeth Grinding

Bruxism, or teeth grinding, often begins in childhood and can carry over into adulthood if you don’t take the necessary measures to stop it. If your child continues to grind her teeth after her adult teeth have come in, her enamel can be badly damaged. One way to know if your child is a teeth-grinder is to listen to them sleeping. Furthermore, a dentist can spot teeth-grinders right away, by the abnormal wear and tear on their teeth. Your child might also complain about a sore jaw when they wake up each morning. Sometimes, correcting bruxism is as simple as reducing your child’s stress and soothing them to sleep each night. If that doesn’t work, a dentist might need to fit your child with a mouth guard.

Thumb Sucking

Thumb sucking is one of those habits that is cute in infancy but will cause problems the longer it goes on. Many babies began sucking their thumb in the womb, and it is no easy task to get them to stop. However, once a baby’s teeth begin to erupt, thumb sucking puts pressure on the inside of the top teeth, causing them to grow outward and develop into an overbite. An overbite is a problem for more reasons than cosmetics. People with overbites are more likely to develop disorders of the jaw or facial muscles, gum disease, and obstructive sleep apnea. While breaking this habit is difficult, it can be done. Two good options are to set up a reward system or to place a finger guard on the preferred thumb. Or, offering a distraction may be successful in helping them quit.

Nail Biting

Nail biting just might be the number one bad habit of childhood. Everyone knows that nail biting can lead to unsightly nails and painful finger pads, but not many people understand that nail biting can damage your child’s teeth and jaw. It can cause jaw displacement, gum infection, chipped teeth, and broken braces. Keep your child’s nails neatly groomed and utilize the same methods mentioned above to thwart the habit.

While punishment and shaming tactics tend to backfire, positive reinforcement and distraction can be powerful tools when helping a child to break a bad habit. With consistency and patience, your child really can break those bad habits. And who knows, you might decide it is time to tackle a few of your own!

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