7 bad habits in children that affect their teeth
PT health Life – Children’s oral health is as important as their whole body health. If not properly monitored, cared for, planned and followed, it can affect the child’s future development.
If children have the following bad habits, parents should remind them and take measures to eliminate them as soon as possible , this will limit the risk of dental diseases when the child becomes an adult.
1. first . Habit of clenching and grinding teeth
Teeth grinding is the excessive grinding or clenching of the teeth in the upper and lower jaws , due to strong contact between the chewing surfaces of the upper and lower teeth, usually occurring during sleep, causing long-term pain. wear on teeth. Teeth grinding is considered a reaction to nervous tension and this phenomenon occurs mostly in children with easily irritable nervous systems.
In addition , teeth grinding also occurs when children have epilepsy, encephalitis or digestive problems. Teeth grinding in children is also related to their growth and development, such as uneven tooth development, teething, etc. Most children develop this problem at 6 months of age when their baby teeth begin to grow. It often occurs again when children are 5 years old when permanent teeth grow. Although the duration of teeth grinding in children is usually not long , teeth grinding can negatively affect the development of the molar system.
Prolonged teeth grinding can lead to negative consequences , affecting the chewing system such as teeth, muscles, jaw and temporomandibular joint. Some children clench their teeth so hard that they break the enamel of the biting edges of their baby teeth or wear down many teeth , leading to a deep bite. Excessive teeth grinding can cause changes in the gums and teeth, causing pain and temporomandibular joint disorders, sometimes causing difficulty chewing and opening the mouth. In severe cases, it can lead to changes in facial shape , creating appear asymmetrical.
If your child has a habit of grinding their teeth, you should see a dentist to check the condition of the bite joints, infections in the teeth, gums, etc. The orthodontist sometimes has to do this. New devices for children to wear can help get rid of these bad habits.
2. Habit of breathing through the mouth
Children who are mouth breathers may have a short upper lip structure so their mouth remains open when breathing through their nose or because they have airway problems . If there is a problem with the airway, parents should take their child to an ENT doctor to get an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment plan to eliminate the habit of mouth breathing.
Breathing through the mouth will dry out the oral mucosa , easily causing tooth decay, misaligning the teeth and causing the child’s jaw to become protruding. Mouth breathing causes the facial skeletal system to develop unbalanced and can also easily lead to bite disorders .
3. Habit of chin support
Many parents often ignore this habit , but if not reminded and take measures to eliminate it early, chin support can change the direction of bone development of the lower jaw, making the child’s face become asymmetrical.
4. Habit of mouthing when eating
This habit is common in children who are just teething or even in older children who have anorexia. In addition to making the body unable to absorb the nutrients in food, holding it in for a long time when eating can cause food in the mouth to convert into sugar, thereby sticking to the teeth and causing tooth decay.
5 . Habit of biting nails and foreign objects
The habit of biting nails, chewing pens, biting hard objects is very harmful , because it will cause children’s teeth to wear out, easily crack, chip, hurt, cause toothache and reduce appetite when eating. can kill the tooth pulp and is at risk of swelling or infection of the skin around the nail , causing unhygienic conditions and susceptibility to helminthic diseases.
6 . Habit of regularly eating snacks or sweets
Young children often like snacks or sweets… this not only makes them bloated, prone to skipping meals, gaining weight or obesity , but also makes them susceptible to tooth decay if they do not take care of their teeth properly.
7 . Brushing teeth incorrectly
Most children only brush their teeth once a day in the morning , but few brush their teeth twice a day in the morning and evening before going to bed or brush right after meals. Besides , many children still do not know how to brush their teeth properly and only brush lightly. This not only creates opportunities for plaque and leftover food to accumulate on teeth , but also increases the risk of tooth decay, gingivitis and periodontitis in children.