Train Your Kids with Good Dental Habits

Posted on November 11, 2021

Good habits created early on in child development will reap valuable rewards in the long run… not just for their lives, but for your finances now! General daily care is an important aspect of dental hygiene to instill in your children now, so that their teeth stay healthy and develop properly.

Thumb Sucking

While an adorable visual for toddlers, thumb sucking can actually cause major problems for your child’s teeth and jaw. The intense pressure pushing on the backs of their front teeth can gradually cause those teeth to angle outward, which further shifts the jaw and palate. This is called malocclusion, where teeth push against the lips in an “open bite” or “overbite.” Both of these misaligned bites may alter the development of a face’s shape, and cause speech impediments (as the teeth cannot properly connect to create “d” and “t” sounds). These can require major treatment to fix including potential for jaw surgery. 

Grinding Teeth

Grinding teeth together also exerts dangerous pressure on sensitive, developing teeth and jaws. Not only can the chips and cracks caused by teeth grinding mean major pain for your little one, it can also mean long term damage to the jaw, bite, palate and even positioning of the permanent teeth that are waiting to come in. 

General Care

Start young by instilling good dental care habits for your children. Make brushing and flossing—morning and night—an enjoyable part of their daily routine. Involve a song or timer to make sure they brush for a sufficient amount of time, let them choose a favorite flavor of toothpaste, do whatever will help them feel a little more in control and comfortable with everyday general care. Whether you create a rewards system for their independent diligence, or make it a supervised activity (while still fostering positive feelings towards the task), the consistency of the practice will make brushing and flossing second nature.

If your child needs braces or Invisalign treatment, get it done early! Make sure that your child’s development isn’t impeded or altered by dental issues. Check out our early treatment options and information here at MI Smile Journey and set your child up for a successful smile now and in their future.