Oral Health Issues in Children
Oral health is important for everyone, but it is particularly important for children because problems that occur in childhood can have long-lasting implications.
Poor oral health in children
Many people assume that oral health is not a priority for children because milk teeth are supposed to fall out; however, this is not the case and neglecting children’s teeth can cause the baby teeth to be lost prematurely, which spells trouble for the future.
If the baby teeth are lost too early, this causes the adult teeth to push through too soon, which can contribute to misalignment and a higher risk of damage and decay. Find out more.
If adult teeth are pushed through prematurely, this can lead to an increase in orthodontic problems which leads into teenage and adult years if not properly addressed.
Orthodontic problems, such as protruding front teeth and crooked teeth, can be a great source of anxiety for children and teenagers and many children are bullied at school for similar issues; the implications of bullying in childhood can last a lifetime.
How do childhood problems affect adult life?
Many people who experienced dental problems during their childhood have issues in their adult life; they may have an increased risk of decay, they may have underlying worries about their oral health or the look of their smile and they may suffer from a lack of confidence.
It is recommended that children should seek the opinion of an orthodontist at the age of 8. The specialists at Elite Orthodontics have years of experience, especially dealing with child patients. Find out more.
It is also common for adults who had dental work done during their childhood to suffer from anxiety and nervousness when they go to the dentist or they need dental treatment.
Solutions
Many of the issues that affect children are preventable and dentists urge parent’s to instil good oral hygiene habits in their children from an early age. Parents should supervise teeth cleaning and encourage their child to brush their teeth twice a day from as early an age as possible. Encouragement tips here.
Diet is also an important factor; sugar consumption is one of the major causes of decay in children and parents should restrict the amount of sugar their child consumes and the frequency they eat or drink sugary foods and drinks throughout the day. Recommended sugar consumption.
- Regular dental visits are essential for good oral health and children should have 6 monthly check-ups from the age of 12 months old.