Unhealthy Habits That Can Hurt Kids’ Teeth

Your teeth do a lot for you, including allowing you to eat and chew healthy foods. As you raise your children to be healthy happy adults, be sure they’re taking care of their oral health. These are just a few of the things that can get in the way of children having healthy teeth.

Eating a Lot of Sugar

When your child eats lots of sweets, it attracts bacteria to where sugar particles get left behind. Eating a lot of sugar can leave deposits of sugar in the mouth, where bacteria can start to erode at the tooth, forming cavities. The worst of the sugary things that will damage your child’s teeth are sticky and hard candies. These linger in the mouth for a long time, so they end up leaving more deposits. If your child is having a sugar craving, chocolate has been shown to be far less harmful for your teeth than many other kinds of sugar because it washes away so easily. The best choice is obviously fresh fruit, but chocolate is another great option.

Thumb Sucking

Thumb sucking can cause problems for your child’s teeth. If your child has made a habit out of thumb sucking, the action could affect their teeth alignment, and even change the shape of the roof of their mouth. This habit is completely natural when they’re young. Children have even been shown to suck their thumbs in the womb as a coping technique. However, if they’re continuing this habit as they grow past the age of four or so, it can hurt their tooth health. Try covering the thumb up when they sleep with a glove or a sock. Talk to your child about why you’re stopping the habit. Don’t place extra pressure on them to stop right away. They are still very young, so breaking the habit will take time. Be patient.

Nail Biting

Your teeth were only meant to chew food. They haven’t evolved to be strong enough to chew anything else. So when your child bites their fingernails, it can cause tooth chipping and loss of enamel. The enamel is the hard outer layer of your tooth that protects the nerve center, so it’s critical that it stays in good shape. Nail biting can also lead to a higher chance of gum disease because of the germs found under the fingernails. If your child has a habit of nail biting, try painting their fingernails to get the habit to stop.

Your oral health is one of the most important aspects of your overall health. When raising healthy kids, it’s important to make sure you’re taking good care of their teeth as well. Try to steer clear of these and other potentially dangerous habits for your child’s teeth.

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