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There's nothing inherently wrong with having crooked teeth. But sometimes, it can affect one's speech, chewing patterns, sleep, and even facial development, especially with children. Not only that, but crooked teeth can lead to a bevy of dental problems, including tooth decay and gum disease.
If you have a child, you wouldn't want them to grow up with crooked teeth. Which is why it's essential to prevent it from happening as they grow into their adult teeth. Below are some tips that can help improve your child's chances of straighter pearly whites.
What causes crooked teeth in children in the first place?
There are many factors that contribute to children growing crooked teeth, but it's typically because of genetics. Kids get their skeletal and dental features from their parents and relatives. They may have inherited having extra teeth, large teeth, missing teeth, wide spacing, or small jaws.
How to prevent crooked teeth in children
Put a stop to thumb-sucking early on.
It's normal for toddlers to develop a habit of thumbsucking, but it would be best if you encourage them to break it sooner rather than later. Frequent thumbsucking can cause damage to their front teeth, their gums, and the roof of their mouth, especially if it persists beyond the age of three. In addition to thumbsucking, sucking dummies and bottle feeding until past the age of three can also be damaging. To help them kick the habit to the curb, find it why and when they usually do it. More often than not, it's because they're hungry, bored, or tired. Once you know the reason behind it, you can come up with a solution to help them break the habit.
Teach them good oral hygiene.
A lot of children view brushing their teeth as a chore, leading them to abandon good oral hygiene. You have to make the effort to teach them good dental habits, so they can avoid gum diseases that could lead to incorrect teeth development. As early on in life as possible, get them used to have a good dental hygiene regimen so they can maintain it until adulthood. If they can't do it on their own just yet, make it a point to always brush their gums gently after meal until they can learn how to do it themselves.
Take action on early tooth loss.
In the event that your child loses their tooth prematurely, either by accident or decay, you should seek help from a dentist right away. A missing tooth can affect the surrounding healthy teeth, resulting in loss of support and shifting. To prevent early tooth loss, see to it that they maintain good oral hygiene. If possible, they should also wear protective gear like mouthguards during sporting events.
Make regular visits to the dentist.
As soon as your child first develops their baby teeth, you have to start making regular appointments to the dentist. This is to make sure that there's a professional keeping a close eye on their teeth's development, as well as ensure that your child's teeth stay clean. If they spot that there are some teeth that may be crooked, they can refer you to an dentist right away.
Crooked teeth can have lasting health damage, so it's important that you prevent your kids from having them. If you need a family-friendly dentistry in Ann Arbor that can take care of your child's needs, get in touch with us today! We’re happy to help.
