Good dental health is crucial for everyone, including children. From the minute the first teeth grow, oral hygiene must be followed to prevent any dental issues. Caring for oral health early on helps in the proper development and protection of the children’s gums and teeth. Dental problems are common in children, but various preventive measures can be taken to avoid them.
Common Dental Problems in Children
Let’s have a look at the seven most common oral issues that children experience:
1. Cavities/Tooth Decay
Many children are not proficient at flossing and brushing their teeth without supervision. Moreover, children also tend to have a more sugar-heavy diet, which makes them more prone to tooth decay. Cavities occur when there is a buildup of plaque on the teeth’s surface. Gradually, the acid present in the plaque starts eating away the enamel of the teeth that eventually lead to tooth decay.
The parents need to assist their children in brushing and flossing properly so that food particles, bacteria, and plaque on their teeth is eliminated every day. In the case of a cavity, tooth filling is the typical treatment.
2. Tooth Sensitivity
Sensitive teeth are distracting, uncomfortable, and painful, which can disrupt the routine and focus of your child. There are several causes of tooth sensitivity in children; therefore, regular checkups are important to diagnose a cause. Some of the reasons behind tooth sensitivity in children include:
- Orthodontic treatment
- Missing or cracked filling
- Teeth grinding
- Enamel wear and acid erosion
- Cavities
There are various treatments available to reduce the discomfort and pain caused by sensitive teeth. If the sensitivity is due to a dental issue, then it is essential to take your child to the dentist immediately before it gets worse.
3. Dental Injuries and Other Emergencies
Oral health emergencies can occur at anytime, anywhere. Children can get mouth injuries while playing sports, falling from a bike, or kidding around with their siblings. There are plenty of scenarios that can result in a dental emergency.
Such accidents can cause cracking, breaking, or chipping of the teeth. In severe cases, it may also result in permanent tooth loss. In case of permanent tooth loss, it is crucial to retrieve the tooth and take your child to the dentist. Be sure to keep the tooth in clean water, saline solution, or a glass of milk.
The dentist might replace the tooth in the socket using a retainer to help reattach it. While these emergencies can often be unavoidable, it is essential to take certain precautions, like making sure your child wears a mouthguard while playing sports.
4. Gum Disease and Pediatric Gingivitis
Many people believe that gum disease occurs in adults only. Unfortunately, that isn’t true. Gum disease and gingivitis are rather common in children. Gingivitis gradually leads to gum disease if it is not treated. Its symptoms include slight bleeding while flossing or brushing, swollen and red gums.
Gum disease is more common and aggressive with poor oral hygiene. It involves swelling, gum recession, and pain in the mouth. In many cases, gum diseases and gingivitis can be avoided simply flossing and brushing regularly.
However, in some cases, your child’s teeth might be crowded or crooked that makes it impossible to clean the teeth thoroughly, leading to gum disease or gingivitis.
5. Orthodontic Issues
Often children don’t have straight teeth without dental intervention. There are various orthodontic treatments that can ensure your child has perfectly aligned teeth and a beautiful smile. Orthodontic issues are often due to genetics, and with how the shape and size of the child’s jaw plays a part in the growth of the teeth.
Common alignment issues in children include spacing problems, open bite, underbite, and an overbite. It is ideal for taking your child to their first orthodontic appointment when they are seven or eight years old. These issues can cause more than just a crooked smile. Significant misalignments and overcrowding of the children’s teeth can cause cracked teeth, jaw problems, and other issues.
6. Excessive Thumb Sucking
Many children, particularly toddlers and infants, resort to pacifier use and thumb sucking to soothe anxiety. It doesn’t become a problem until your children grow older but continue this habit, affecting the development of their teeth. Parents should discourage their children from thumb sucking and avoid using pacifiers altogether.
In many cases, chronic pacifier use and thumb sucking cause an open bite. An open bite is when upper teeth don’t align with the lower teeth, which leaves a gap in between even when they close their mouth. The open bite makes it challenging for the children to chew and bite, and might also affect their speech.
7. Dental Phobias and Anxiety
Let’s admit it; even adults get nervous or anxious when going to the dentist. Therefore, it should come as no surprise when children fear their dentist appointment. Dental anxiety makes it challenging for parents to take their children to regular teeth cleanings and dental checkups. It often stays with them into adulthood, which can affect their dental hygiene and health in numerous ways.
To help your kids tackle dental anxiety, try to make it an enjoyable, fun, and relaxed experience. Select a pediatric dentist who is experienced in working with anxious children and can make things comfortable for them. Additionally, helping your child learn the significance of dental care and ensuring they have a proper dental routine also reinforces the notion that there is nothing to be scared of.
The best thing you can do for your children is become positive role models by regularly flossing and brushing your teeth. You can also book your own dental appointments with them to show them there is nothing for them to fear and to show them the significance of following good oral health habits.
Improving your Children’s Dental Health
If you want to improve the dental health of your children, then here are a few things you must consider:
Using Fluoride
Fluoride should be a significant part of your children’s oral hygiene. It helps in reducing cavities in both baby and adult teeth. It is also known to make teeth stronger by hardening the tooth enamel. Many kids consume fluoride in drinking water, as many cities include it in their tap water. Even if you use water filters, it won’t remove the fluoride from water. However, avoid using the ones with ‘reverse osmosis.’
In case your water doesn’t include fluoride, you must provide your child with an oral fluoride supplement. Ask your dentist or doctor to make the recommendation or to determine whether or not your child needs a supplement. Once your child grows up and starts visiting the dentist, they will be getting fluoride cleaning or varnish on their teeth.
Remember, a high amount of fluoride may result in tooth stains and can actually be harmful to your child’s oral health. Make sure they don’t swallow the fluoride mouthwash or toothpaste, and always follow the instructions of your dentist for fluoride supplements.
Flossing and Brushing
Dental hygiene must start when your child grows their first teeth. You must start brushing their teeth and gums with a soft child toothbrush using only water twice a day. If you want, you can even use a tiny amount of toothpaste to brush their teeth. However, make sure it doesn’t include fluoride.
Once your child grows old and can spit, switch the toothpaste to the one with fluoride. Make sure you only use a small amount. Help them learn the right way of brushing teeth and spread the toothpaste among their tongue, gums, and teeth. Seek your dentist’s help if needed.
Keep in mind that your child will need assistance with brushing and flossing their teeth until the age of seven or eight years. Switch to a bigger toothbrush around this time. Encourage them to brush their teeth twice in a day and for two minutes. Teach them to floss at least once every day. Remind them to brush their tongue to reduce the bacteria in the mouth.
Change the brush after every three to six months, or when the bristles are worn out.
Cavities
Cavities are the formation of holes in the teeth. They occur due to the buildup of bacteria in the mouth. The sugar in drinks and foods we consume transforms into acid, which then starts eating away the teeth if not removed. Cavities are more common in kids since their teeth are harder to brush. Remember, people with cavities might even pass the bacteria to children, infants, and unborn babies.
Following are some of the signs and symptoms that your child might be at risk for cavities:
- Low birth weight or premature birth
- Lack of dental visits
- Special health care need
- Brown areas or white spots on teeth
Diet
Children who consume loads of sugary drinks and foods are more likely to develop cavities. It is essential that you provide them with a healthy diet. Restrict sugary foods, and avoid giving your children a lot of sweetened drinks, fruit juices, and sodas. Every time your child eats a sugary item, ask them to brush their teeth.
For older kids, chewing gum is safe and even offers various benefits, including:
- Fresh breath
- Balancing the amount of acid that otherwise might lead to tooth decay
- Removing food bits
- Produce more saliva
- Strengthen the jaw
However, sugar-containing gum could lead to cavities. Be sure to restrict the sugary gums or let them have sugar-free gums.
Mouth Safety
Safety is one of the major parts of oral hygiene. Make sure your child wears a mouthguard while playing sports or while performing any recreational activity. Mouthguards are soft retainers made of plastic that covers the teeth and protect the jaw, teeth, cheeks, and lips. It is best to get one custom-fit for your child for optimal protection.
Tips to Make Oral Hygiene Fun for Kids
Here are a few ways to make dental hygiene fun for your children:
- Allow your child to select their own toothbrush. Let them pick the one with their favorite character or color.
- Encourage them to pick their toothpaste as well, whatever flavor they prefer.
- Watch videos with them or read them books about good dental hygiene and its importance.
- Use a timer to help them brush their teeth for two minutes; make it a race to make it exciting. You can even play their favorite poems or songs to keep track of the brushing time.
- Reward them for following good oral hygiene. However, never give them sugary treats or food as rewards. Give them something healthy and simple like apple slices, books, educational toys, or a gold star!
- Always plan an exciting activity right after your child’s dental appointment
Make it easy for them to follow good hygiene by making it a family activity. Brushing teeth with the grownups will encourage them to be more proactive about their oral health.
When to See A Dentist?
Generally, people take their kids to the dentist for the first time when they are between six or eight years of age. However, it is recommended that the children should start visiting the dentist after their first birthday, as it allows the dentist to identify any potential problems with their gums or teeth.
Taking your child to the dentist at an early age will make them grow more comfortable with these dental appointments. It encourages them to establish a habit of getting dental checkups. Both children and adults should visit their dentist twice every year.
It is best to get in touch with the dentist immediately, if:
- Your child has a mouth or tooth infection or has a toothache
- Your child has an injury and losses their permanent tooth. Be sure to preserve the tooth in milk, clean water, or saline solution and take it to the dentist immediately.
You can preserve and enhance the dental health of your children by encouraging them to follow good oral hygiene practices. It will help prevent dental problems like tooth decay. Moreover, it will also help them establish a good oral health routine and maintain their healthy teeth and a beautiful smile!