As soon as the first of the baby teeth emerges from the gums, the infants should be seen by a kid’s dentist. With this emergence of the first tooth, infants become subject to dental decay. Oral hygiene should be improved in order to prevent cavities and gum disease.
Thumb sucking is a common habit during childhood and is normal in babies and young children. Many infants suck their thumbs or fingers during the first year of life, and 30 percent of kids continue during the preschool years, Thumb sucking is comforting for children, and they usually do it when they are bored, tired, worried or feeling stressed.
Most kids outgrow the habit by the age of 5. Often, peer pressure in the school motivates kids to stop sucking their thumbs. Thumb sucking is not harmful unless a child is still doing it at the time their permanent teeth are ready to come in, usually between the ages of 4 and 5.
As the jawbones in children under 8 are still soft and pliable, thumb sucking can reshape the jawbone and cause the teeth to grow out of alignment. The upper front teeth will flare out and tip upward. This condition is called open bite, because there is a space between the upper and lower front teeth when the back teeth bite together. Long-term thumb sucking may also affect the growth of the children’s palate, which can lead to poor tongue placement and problems with chewing, breathing, swallowing, and speaking.
It is important to stop the thumb sucking habit before permanent teeth begin to come in. Kids who are unable to stop on their own by the age of 5 may need help. There are several things you can do to help your child.
Visiting a pediatric dentist near me will help you to follow up your kid development. And even, provide you the correct procedure to be done in each case.
Fluoride prevents tooth decay and strengthens the enamel of the teeth. It has been established that children who have the advantages of fluoride and good oral hygiene habits stay free of disease. Good oral hygiene habits includes: proper diet, thorough brushing/flossing, and regular dental visits.
For children who do not have access to fluoride drinking water, fluoride supplements are available in liquid and tablet forms. Your pediatric dentist in West Palm Beach will advise you as to how your child will benefit more from the fluoride supplements and what dosages should be used.
Once your child has a tooth, it is recommended that your child receive fluoride varnish treatments in the pediatrician's office to help prevent tooth decay. This is a sticky layer that stays on the teeth for about an hour while the fluoride strengthen the tooth surface.
At home, it is recommended your child begin using fluoridated toothpaste as soon as they are able to spit their toothpaste out. Brushing the surface of the teeth with fluoride helps prevent cavities and possibly stop shallow cavities from forming further.
As you can see, protecting your child’s teeth with fluoride will greatly benefit their oral and overall health.
Baby teeth matter even though they will one day fall out. They are needed for eating, speaking and smiling. They also keep space in the jaw for adult teeth.
How to care for baby teeth?
Children are a precious gift. An early start in regular dental care is an important step to total health. It is recommended that children begin routine dental visits by the age of one in a kid friendly office, so that any problems may be detected early or avoided completed.
It is important that primary teeth are kept until they are lost naturally. They serve several important functions. They help maintain good nutrition by permitting your child to chew properly. They are important in allowing good pronunciation and speech habits; and they help your child feel good about the way he/she looks to others.
Primary teeth also help guide the proper eruption of the permanent teeth. They act as natural space maintainers for the developing permanent teeth. When primary teeth are lost too early, the space that is left should be maintained by a “space maintainer” to ensure that they will be enough room for the permanent teeth when they erupt; otherwise the permanent teeth will be crowded and not have room in the mouth.
Your pediatric dentist in West Palm Beach has the knowledge required to apply both preventive and corrective techniques, which will maintain the health of your child’s teeth. Many times, he/she can make a minor correction that will eliminate major dental work.
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