Dental Health And Bad Habits
Going to Bed With a Bottle
The result of sending a child to bed with a bottle of
anything other than water is severe tooth decay (cavities). The sugar from
the fluid in the bottle stays on the
teeth for long periods of time causing
the bacteria on the child’s teeth and the sugar to mix.
This mixture forms a
type of acid that eats through the enamel and makes cavities. Dentists
sometimes use the term “bottle Mouth” to describe the mouth of a child that
has been sent to bed repeatedly with a bottle.
This is not an easy habit to break, but it can be done. If
your child is taking a bottle to bed, try diluting the liquid down a little
each night until the end result is just water.
Thumb / Finger Sucking
Thumb and /or finger sucking is a bad habit because it
could cause the child to have buck teeth, which could eventually require
orthodontic treatment. Most children will stop this habit on their own
between ages 2 and 4, however, it is much easier to break any habit when it
first begins.
Nail biting
Nail biters range from those who occasionally
nibble to professional nail biters who spend hours chomping
until all they're left with is a bloody and sore mess. Yet
our fingernails and toenails are there to protect our hands
and feet and need to be looked after. Constantly biting your
nails and/or the skin around your fingers or toes is giving
an open invitation to any bug or germ that's lurking about.
If these bacteria enter your bloodstream, then there's a
good chance you could end up with an
infection.
If you're fed up with hiding your hands in
public, wear false nails or buy a nasty tasting 'stop
biting' solution from your local chemist. There is no quick
fix solution for this type of habit so you will have to use
willpower to stop
Teeth grinding
This is a common habit that affects a lot of
people, usually in their sleep. Teeth grinding can damage
your teeth, make your jaw ache and can cause shoulder and
neck pain, headaches and migraines.
Make sure you have regular dental
check-ups to spot any repairs that need doing, like fillings
or crowns. If you can't stop, you may have to wear a gum
shield at night to prevent any more damage to your teeth or
jaw.
Cheek and lip chewing
This is another type of habit that can be hard to break. If
you chew your cheeks no-one can physically see what you're
doing to yourself but the soreness and risk of infection is
pretty clear. Biting your lips will make them sore, dry and
cause the skin to peel off. You'll be more likely to get
cold sores as well.
Resist the urge to remove the fresh, new
layer of skin in your cheek when you wake up in the
morning. Have a piece of sugar-free chewing gum ready to
pop in your mouth and chew on that instead. If you are a lip
biter, every time you feel the urge to bite your lip, apply
some lip balm.
Swallowing Toothpaste
Getting your child to brush their teeth everyday is a
major accomplishment for both the child and the parent. A bad habit that
children generally pick up is using too much toothpaste and swallowing a lot
of it. The result is too much fluoride is ingested into the child’s body.
This can cause a condition known as Fluorosis, where white or brown spots
can form on the teeth in severe cases.
This is actually a bad habit that is fairly easy to break.
Try spending some time with the child explaining that a pea size drop of
toothpaste is adequate and teach them how to brush and rinse and spit
properly. After a few times, they will generally get the hang of it.
