Your oral health will impact your overall wellbeing no matter how old you are, so it’s best to start dental care near Park Ridge early on. Children tend to be especially susceptible to issues such as tooth decay and tooth loss, but your dentist or orthodontist can offer protective solutions like dental sealants to keep those teeth healthy. Thumb sucking is also linked to certain dental problems and should be discouraged at a certain point. Cracking down on these dental health issues must be a team effort, however, kids need to understand how to care for their teeth, and parents should make sure they visit the cosmetic dentist on a regular basis. Read ahead for help in preventing common oral health problems seen in children.

Tooth Decay

Baby bottle tooth decay refers to tooth decay that happens to children because of the way they are fed. Parents should be extremely careful about what they give their children and how long they feed them for each day. If you give your child a bottle with milk, juice, or any other drink that contains sugars, make sure he or she does not fall asleep with it. This can result in far too much exposure between the sugars and your child’s tooth enamel, and it can lead to rampant decay. Talk to your cosmetic dentist and learn how to protect your child from tooth decay.

Tooth Loss

Losing your baby teeth is perfectly normal, but it might be time to visit the dental office if it happens too soon. If you lose your baby teeth too early, your adult teeth might not grow in correctly. Encourage your child to wear a mouth guard when participating in contact sports, and head to the dental office if your child’s baby teeth are falling out before permanent teeth come in.

Thumb Sucking

Some children sooth themselves by sucking their thumbs, but this harms your oral health at a certain point. If your child’s thumb sucking is affecting his or her oral health, try using a bandage to encourage him or her to stop this potentially damaging behavior.