It’s an exciting time for children when they lose their first few teeth. They have a sense of growing up and may even be thrilled at the idea of the tooth fairy visiting them.
However, as your child’s new adult teeth come in, you may be concerned about the alignment of their teeth. Some factors that may affect the way the teeth grow are genetics, teeth gaps, small jaws, and extra teeth.
Here is what you can do as parents to help your child deal with crooked teeth:
Visit the dentist regularly
Take your child to the dentist when their first tooth comes in. This will give the dentist a chance to identify any problems early on and advise good oral practices. The dentist will guide your child on the proper way to brush their teeth and keep an eye on incoming adult teeth. The dentist can also help your child develop good oral hygiene from a young age.
Correct bad habits
If your child uses a pacifier or sucks their thumb to soothe themselves, then they should have been weaned off it by the time they turn age two so that they don’t develop crooked teeth because of it. Work with your orthodontist to break these habits in your child. The orthodontist will guide you on providing the right motivation to the child to correct their bad habits.
Pay attention to tooth loss
Tooth loss must be responded to quickly. If your child loses a tooth accidentally or due to decay, contact your dentist immediately. A missing tooth can affect the surrounding healthy teeth, which may start to shift into the gap and get crooked. Your orthodontist can also advise you on the effects of crooked teeth on the overall oral health.
Get crooked teeth treated
There are two phases to orthodontic treatment for crooked teeth.
The first phase begins early when your child still has baby teeth. Appliances like tongue spurs are used to reduced tongue movement and thumb sucking that cause crooked teeth. A palatal expander may be used to correct a bite or to create space for new teeth.
The second phase happens when the child has most of their adult teeth. Braces can be used to correct the crooked teeth and bite. This treatment can last for 18-36 months. It is important that your child takes care of the braces and practices good oral hygiene during this period.
Crooked teeth may be due to genetics, poor dental health, and bad oral habits like overuse of bottles, thumb sucking, and pacifiers. Treat them at the earliest so that your child does not face self-esteem issues and further health issues like cavities, gum disease, and difficulty in speaking while growing up. With the help of an orthodontist, you can catch the signs of crooked teeth early and correct your child’s teeth as they grow.
Author Bio:
Sharon William’s day job is to handle digital marketing for Koch Orthodontics in Loganville, GA. With a flair for creating compelling content that clears the clutter and connects with the audience in an instant, she writes about dental topics to educate and help her readers. She truly believes that a genuine smile can win a million hearts and talks to her readers about improving their smiles and overall dental health, as well as enhancing their overall lifestyle. In her free time, she likes to organize small meets in her neighbourhood where she brings people together to discuss various topics that she writes about.
