Common Dental Issues Among Kids, Causes & How to Prevent Them (Part 1)

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As parents, we only want our kids to enjoy their childhood by staying on top of their health, and that includes their teeth and gums. And how do we do this? Visiting a dentist for kids in the Philippines is one way; understanding the dental issues our kids may face is another. Because as they say: “Knowledge is power.”

With that said, here are some of the most common pediatric dental issues you need to know, their causes and prevention according to WebMD .

Tooth Decay

Tooth decay happens when bacteria form in your kid’s mouth and starts to eat away the primary teeth. This can lead to holes in the tooth known as cavity which can cause pain, infection and tooth loss. Unhealthy eating habits such as your kid sleeping with a bottle or eating too many sweets can also cause tooth decay.

How to Prevent: Snack smart & regularly brush teeth after meals.

Teeth Grinding

Does your kid clench his teeth while asleep? It could be an involuntary habit common among school-age kids known as grinding. Also called bruxism, teeth grinding is usually harmless, but when it happens regularly, it can cause headaches, dental & muscular pain, and can wear away your kid’s permanent pearly white chompers. Other causes include stress and anxiety, sleep disorders, abnormal bites and crooked or missing teeth.

How to Prevent: Children usually outgrow teeth grinding but if it persists, your kid might need a custom nightguard.

Wisdom Teeth

Eruption of wisdom teeth may occasionally cause pain to your child. Partial eruption leaves the tooth more prone to infection, which may lead to other dental problems such as tooth decay. Poor alignment of wisdom teeth during an eruption can also result in teeth crowding or even damage the nerves, the jawbone, and adjacent teeth.

How to Prevent: Visit your pediatric dentist in the Philippines regularly to evaluate whether your kid’s wisdom teeth need or not be removed.

Do you need a child friendly dental clinic in the Philippines? Visit: http://dentalworld.com.ph/

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Thumb-sucking

Thumb-sucking is another harmless habit that young ones typically outgrow, not unless it remains after the age five or six where permanent teeth start to come in. This can lead to dental or speech problem such as malocclusion (improper alignment of teeth) and lisping if not given proper attention. Thumb-sucking after preschool years may be also caused by various emotional disorders like anxiety.

How to Prevent: Setting rules, providing distractions and offering rewards can help break the habit.

These are only a few of the most common dental problems your kids may face in their childhood. If you want to know more about them, it’s always best to ask your dentist for kids in the Philippines. On our next post, we’ll tackle more of these issues and find out what is gum disease, sensitive teeth, bad breath, and malocclusion, what causes them and how to prevent them so stay tuned.

References:
http://perlmankoidindentists.com/common-pediatric-dental-problems
http://www.kidspluspediatricdentistry.com/common-problems.html
https://www.cltpediatricdentistry.com/2016/06/top-5-common-dental-issues-for-kids/
https://www.mainstreetsmiles.com/news-and-articles/a-list-of-common-pediatric-dental-issues/
https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/tc/tooth-decay-topic-overview#1
https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/teeth-grinding-bruxism
https://www.webmd.com/children/tc/thumb-sucking-topic-overview#1
https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/wisdom-teeth#1