September 8, 2022

BREAKING BAD DENTAL HABITS

Nobody is flawless. We all develop bad dental habits. Our oral health is not immune either. Despite your best efforts, it’s likely that your youngster has acquired one or more habits out of convenience. That’s absolutely ok! We comprehend. We’re here to make sure your child’s dental health is in great shape, which is why we’re there.

Here are several dental behaviors that we frequently observe and some advice on how to stop them.

Thumbsucking

Your youngster may have a number of issues if they habitually put their thumbs or other fingers in their mouths. First, more bacteria are transferred from the fingers to the oral cavity, increasing the risk of infection. Second, your child’s teeth may move and their palate may change if they thumbsucking. Teeth misalignment and even airway problems may result from this.

No Dentakl Check-ups

Make an appointment right away if you haven’t taken your child to the dentist in a while or if it’s been a while since we last saw your smile. You can schedule an appointment by calling us or using our online scheduling tool. Maintaining your child’s health and breaking bad habits now will help you save a lot of time and money later on.

Not Flossing

Once more, you probably expected this to be included. You know what, there’s a valid reason for it. Flossing can stop gum recession and tooth decay. It’s very significant! Perhaps even more crucial than brushing is this.

How then can you encourage your youngster to floss more frequently? As a reminder, stick a Post-it note on your child’s mirror. Purchase a flossing stick; some individuals find it to be much simpler than the conventional approach. Get it to stick: To establish a regimen, floss every day at the same time.

You might also begin modestly by aiming for once each week. After that takes hold, you could start to miss a nice floss after brushing. As it becomes a part of your child’s bedtime ritual, this will assist in your youngster learning the skill. If you need a refresher on proper flossing procedures, parents, check out ours.

Brushing too frantically

Brushing too vigorously is one of the leading causes of damaged enamel. Pull back on the reins if your child complains that brushing hurts his or her arm. Over time, this friction will also wear away your child’s gum tissue in addition to the enamel. Keep in mind to move the toothbrush gently in a circular motion and at a 45-degree angle toward the base of the gums.

Insufficiently long brushing

Your youngster is not getting a proper amount of time to wash their teeth if it takes them less than two minutes. Sometimes it may appear to be a competition to see who can finish brushing first. Utilizing a timer is one technique to encourage children to brush for the full two minutes. You can set a 2-minute alarm on a stopwatch, smartphone, or traditional sand timer. For kids to listen to while brushing their teeth, you may even search for two-minute tunes on YouTube.

Using a Discarded Toothbrush

When was the last time you replaced the toothbrush in your child’s mouth? You don’t think about it very much, right? The issue with using an old toothbrush is that instead of adequately cleaning your child’s teeth, the ragged bristles may wind up harming them. Every three to four months, you should replace the toothbrush in your child’s mouth. Changing your toothbrush on the first day of each new season is a useful mnemonic. You won’t ever have a used brush that way!

Allowing the water to flow

It goes without saying that this one can be fixed. Turn off the faucet after moistening your toothbrush. You only need a little water to get started. It’s healthy for the environment and your wallet to turn off the water.

Each time you and your child come in for a dental checkup at The Dental Ark and Stevensons Dental Ark, we include tried-and-true methods to share with you and your child. Call us right away!