Horrible Dental Habits That Your Kids Should Break Immediately
Teaching your children how to take care of their teeth can be challenging. Children inherently develop bad dental habits out of their lack of knowledge about their teeth and how to properly care for them. As a parent, you need to constantly be on the lookout for bad dental habits. Immediately correcting these mistakes allows you to keep your child’s teeth white and damage-free.
Each year, millions of adults and children wind up in the emergency room with dental problems. These dental emergencies are often caused by bad dental habits and mistakes. The following are some bad dental habits that you need to help your child correct in a hurry.
Opening Packaging/Bags With Teeth
As most parents find out during the summer months, the average child loves to snack. Common snacks like potato chips, cracks and many other delicious goodies come in bags and other similar packaging. Unwrapping this packaging and getting the delicious food contained within is something most children want to do in a hurry. This need to opening snack packaging quickly can lead to your child making the mistake of using their teeth.
Using teeth to open this packaging is a disaster waiting to happen. One wrong move can lead to a tooth getting chipped or broken. Instead of allowing these dental emergencies to take place, you need to correct this mistake as soon as you see your child make it. Showing them the safe and proper way to open food packaging will take a few minutes and can help to save them a world of hurt caused by a dental emergency.
Biting Fingernails is a Bad Idea
Perhaps the most common bad habit that can negatively affect a child’s oral health is biting their fingernails. While this is a common bad habit, it needs to be corrected quickly. The longer a child bites their fingernails, the higher the risk of tooth cracking or chipping becomes. The risk of tooth damage/loss is even higher if your child bites their fingernails while wearing braces.
Not only is fingernail biting bad for your child’s teeth, it can also damage their gums. A sharp fingernail can tear or scratch the gum tissue. The bacteria under your child’s fingernails will also enter their mouth if they continue this bad habit, which can be hazardous to their overall health.
Failing to Wear a Mouthguard While Participating in Sports
Keeping children active during the summer months is something most parents are adamant about. Sports are a healthy way to help you channel your child’s energy. However, if they fail to protect their teeth while participating in sports, it is only a matter of time before dental emergencies occur. Investing in a custom-fitted mouthguard is a great way to ensure your child’s teeth are protected.
Is your child in need of a routine cleaning or other common dental procedures? If so, Kids First Dentistry is here to help you. With our assistance, you can keep your child’s teeth healthy and bright for years to come.