How to Break Your Child’s Bad Dental Habits?

It is critical to teach your child the importance of taking good care of their teeth, but you need to keep an eye out for the development of bad dental habits and try to stop them before they start.

Sending your child to bed with anything other than water in their bottle can be asking for trouble by increasing the chance of tooth decay. If you do send your child to bed with a bottle, you should gradually dilute the liquid until it is all water.

Thumb sucking is another habit that can have negative oral consequences in the form of ‘buck’ or crooked teeth. The good news is most children will stop on their own between the ages of 2 and 4 but it is much easier to break any habit early.

It is important to teach your child to brush their teeth everyday. Remember, take care to show your child that they only require a pea sized drop of toothpaste. Show them how to properly brush, rinse and spit. This will help to prevent your child from swallowing their toothpaste when they brush.

With your guidance you can help to prevent future dental problems before they start. Be sure to discuss any concerns you might have with your child’s oral health and habits next time you are in to see us.