Twelve Bad Dental Habits for children

Children often adopt some bad dental habits that may cause serious trouble in the future. Wrong dental habits of kids may lead to cavities, toothache, plaque, or crooked teeth problems at an early age. Curing a dental problem can be a painful task for parents as well as kids. However, converting bad dental habits into good ones is easier with patience and tact. 

Bottle feeding is one of the twelve bad dental habits for children.

Twelve Bad Dental Habits for Children

Thumb sucking or finger sucking

During the first year of life, thumb sucking is not viewed as a bad habit or problem. It is a common self-comforting behavior among children. Many of them stop thumb-sucking on their own by the age of five while some others refuse to give up. 

Due to emotional problems, a small percentage of kids continue this bad dental habit even when they grow quite old. Thumb sucking can cause dental problems such as buck teeth wherein the upper front teeth are protruding because of the habit. It requires orthodontic treatment.

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Breastfeeding at night

When the baby's teeth begin to appear, breastfeeding at night can cause harm because breastmilk contains sugar. The sugar gets deposited on the baby's teeth and may result in tooth decay. It is preferred to clean the mouth of the baby after feeding to avoid dental problems.

Bottle feed during the night is not safe  

  

Bottle feeding throughout the night can cause cavities in babies as the sugar from the fluid mix up with the bacteria on the baby's teeth. It can also cause discoloration of the teeth, if the mouth is not properly cleaned after feeding milk or juice at night time.

Use of pacifier for long periods

Giving pacifiers to toddlers for long periods can obstruct the teeth and jaw development of the child. Therefore, it is important to break this dental habit in children as soon as possible.

Swallowing fluoride toothpaste

Kids often swallow their toothpaste while brushing their teeth. It can cause brown spots on the teeth and fluorosis as the toothpaste contains fluoride. Teaching them to spit out the toothpaste can help in avoiding this problem.


Related post- Vital Teeth Care Tips for kids

Using Sippy cups

Sipping Sippy cups all day is a bad dental habit like bottle feeding. It can cause teeth decay. Therefore, do not let your child stick to a Sippy cup continuously for hours if you wish to divert dental problems.

Sugary drinks are not safe either

Kids as young as one-year-olds drink colas and sugary drinks in abundance on a daily basis. It is a major damaging habit for the newly developed teeth of kids. Parents need to curtail the habit and induce good eating habits in kids. Kids with sweet tooth are at higher risk of oral problems.

                                            

Chewing the pencil/ pen

Sometimes children chew up the other side of the pencils and it's actually a damaging habit for their teeth. Gnawing a pencil or pen brings bacteria into the mouth leading to tooth problems. Also, it damages the surface of the teeth.

Brushing too hard

Brushing the teeth too hard can erode the enamel of the teeth and harm the gums. Therefore, parents need to supervise the tooth brushing of kids.

Tooth brushing for less time

Kids do not have the patience to brush their teeth for two to three minutes which is again a bad habit. Tooth brushing for a lesser time can cause oral hygiene problems like plaque on the teeth, yellow teeth, bad breath, etc. Brushing the teeth only once is also a bad dental habit among children. It is compulsory to brush your teeth at least twice a day.

Prevent oral diseases in kids with the right brushing habits

Sharing toothbrushes

Siblings when sharing their toothbrushes also share bacteria and infections. Hence, this habit should be discouraged and discontinued to avoid problems.

Unclean toothbrush

Rinsing of the toothbrush after use is equally important. Kids pay less attention to cleaning and rinsing of brush which may cause the growth of bacteria on the brush.

Maintaining the dental health of kids is not that tough. Keep a vigil on the above-mentioned dental habits of kids to ensure healthy oral hygiene and a perfect smile on their faces.

Related post- How to make your child eat healthy meals happily?

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