Raising a child with a set of properly aligned teeth is satisfying to every parent. However, although some people think that all cases of crooked teeth are due to genetic concerns, that’s not always the case. A baby’s behaviors, such as thumb sucking are also great contributors. The kind of food we feed our children also has a great effect on their dental health.
Taking care of your child’s teeth should begin as early as six months when the child starts developing primary teeth. If your child loses some a primary tooth due to injuries or decay, this could cause bigger problems when the permanent ones start growing. Here is how you can enhance the growth of straight teeth in your child.
5 Tips to Ensure Your Baby’s Teeth Grow Straight
1. Regular Visits to the Dentist
It’s difficult to tell whether your child will grow straight or crooked teeth as a parent. Most genetic cases can be detected early through a medical examination from a qualified dentist. It’s vital, therefore, to take your baby for dental checkups as soon as they start developing primary teeth.
A qualified dentist will help identify any signs of crowding, overbites, and jaw problems. From there, a dentist can refer you to a specialist orthodontist for alignment if needed. Offices such as the Woodbridge dental practice Vellore Woods Dentistry can complete the initial assessment, paying particular attention to dental health. From there, if crowding, overbites, etc., are already manifesting as concerns, they can set your child up with an orthodontist.
2. Correct Bad Habits
Thumb sucking is the number one cause of crooked teeth among children. This is because when the baby sticks their fingers between the teeth, the pressure from the fingers pushes out the upper teeth. Thumb sucking also pushes the lower ones back, which causes misalignment.
Another bad habit that most people ignore is using a pacifier. You can use a pacifier during the early stages of your baby’s life, but you should stop once the teeth start growing.
Other habits to avoid include reverse swallowing, breathing through the mouth, and tongue thrusting. Train your child to avoid these habits from the early stages.
3. Watch What You Feed Your Child
It’s common for babies to like the sweet and sugary stuff, but this is not good for their dental health. Instead of buying them candy whenever they cry, encourage them to eat simple natural foods. Ensure you don’t feed them with hard to chew foods that can lead to tooth damage.
Go for foods that stimulate saliva and ones that are rich in calcium such as soft cheese and yogurt. Fruits are also great for your kid because they contain enzymes such as malic acid, which helps to whiten the teeth.
4. Prevent Tooth Decay
When primary teeth decay, they can cause major problems for the development of secondary teeth. This decay can cause crowding, misalignment, and poor positioning of permanent teeth as a result of premature development through the empty spaces. Avoid adding sugary substances to your baby’s pacifier to prevent tooth decay.
5. Oral Hygiene
Poor dental hygiene is among the most common causes of decayed and crooked teeth. Poor brushing or lack of the same can lead to serious gum diseases.
You can prevent this by teaching your child some dental hygiene from the early stages. They should know how to brush after every meal from the time their baby teeth start developing. Teaching them the right brushing technique also matters.
Bottom Line
How your child’s teeth develop depends on how you take care of them and how you model good dental hygiene behaviors. Although some cases might be genetic, regular visits to a dentist will help to control the condition. Ensure your child follows the right dental routine early enough to avoid misalignment.
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