Things that Could Wear Your Child’s Teeth Down

Posted May 14, 2020

When it comes to helping your child preserve their healthy, natural smiles, sticking to good dental hygiene practices is one of the most important tips. The harmful bacteria that make up dental plaque are a constant threat, and require consistent attention to successfully control them. However, good dental hygiene can’t always protect your child’s teeth from other threats, such as habits that could end up wearing their teeth down and making them weaker. Today, we examine a few such habits and the types of damage they could cause if not addressed.

Constantly grinding them together

Constant teeth-grinding is often the result of bruxism, which is a bite dysfunction that can result from one or more of several different factors. If left unchecked, the constant grinding of your child’s teeth can quickly wear down their protective enamel and, eventually, their denser main structures. Given the nature of teeth-grinding, this damage is typically located along the chewing surfaces of your child’s teeth, which can lead to changes in your child’s bite balance and function that could lead to even more significant trouble later.

Chewing on things they shouldn’t

Your child may not grind their teeth together much, but a habit of chewing on things like pens, pencils, toys, and anything else that isn’t food can often be just as destructive. Your child may try to hide the habit once they realize it’s wrong, but if you notice it, it’s worth addressing and keeping a close eye on. In some cases, the habit may be a sign of an underlying bite imbalance, such as crooked teeth, that should be diagnosed and addressed as soon as possible.

Eating things that make their teeth weak

Even if it is only food that your child chews on, consistently chewing on the wrong kinds of food may be more harmful than you know. For example, the fact that high-sugar foods like candy and cookies are bad for your child’s teeth may be common knowledge. However, other foods that contain fermentable carbohydrates, such as bread, can also help fuel the activity of harmful oral bacteria on your child’s teeth. Helping your child stick to a healthy diet and a consistently good dental hygiene routine every day can help significantly reduce the risks of such damage to their teeth.

Learn how to preserve your child’s healthy teeth

Your child’s healthy smile relies on strong, healthy teeth, so make sure your child doesn’t inadvertently make their teeth weaker with these bad habits. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling Pediatric Dental Care at Casa Linda in Dallas, TX today at 214-321-4880. We proudly serve patients who live around Casa Linda and all surrounding Dallas communities.