When it comes to protecting your children from the effects of misaligned teeth, there are a number of things that you can do to minimize the risk. Misaligned teeth in an individual come with several health complications. For example, crooked teeth can make it harder to observe proper oral hygiene. This is because misaligned teeth will create hard-to-reach spaces that make brushing your teeth a lot harder. The net result is that these spaces create havens for bacteria to attack your enamel and lead to tooth cavities. The good news however is that crooked teeth are easy to fix. Here is a guide on how to fix crooked teeth in children.
Having strong and healthy teeth has an indirect effect on how well aligned your child’s teeth are going to be. This is because one of the leading causes of misaligned teeth is gaps in your teeth due to tooth loss. Cavities lead to tooth decay, which if untreated will often result in tooth loss. When your child develops gaps in their teeth, the rest of the teeth will shift to compensate for the lost tooth, and this can eventually lead to misaligned teeth. Ensuring that your child takes in calcium and other nutrients that help to strengthen their teeth. It makes it unlikely that there will be tooth loss and this in turn keeps your teeth properly aligned.
One of the reasons why kids develop misaligned teeth is due to the habit of pushing against tier teeth with their fingers. This can happen during thumb sucking or can even be induced by excessive use of a pacifier. Discouraging these harmful habits can go a long way in reducing the chances that your child will develop misaligned teeth. You should ensure that your child stops using a pacifier by the time they are two years old. This will reduce the chances of their teeth being crooked. If your child likes chewing hard things such as toys, you should also discourage this habit as it can lead to misaligned teeth or even dental emergencies such as broken teeth. It also opens up your child to the risk of infection as these toys may be dirty.
Another great way of ensuring that your child has straight teeth is to make it a habit to see a dentist regularly. This is because most dental problems including misaligned teeth are progressive ad take place over a period of time. This creates the opportunity to catch this problem early and ensure that they are fixed. A dentist will be able to spot problems such as crowded teeth and offer a solution before the problem can become worse. A dental expert will also detect issues such as tooth deceit and cavities very early and offer treatment before they can cause serious dental problems for your child.
As we have seen, tooth decay and subsequent tooth loss can lead to misaligned teeth. Apart from proper nutrition, your child will need to practice proper dental hygiene to ensure that they have healthy and straight teeth. This means regular brushing of the teeth. If your child is very young, you can use a very small quantity of toothpaste (the size of a grain of rice) to gently brush their teeth. You should also use special toothbrushes for infants to avoid damaging their gums.
