As a parent, you know that growing up can sometimes be hard. Now watching your child grow up and figure out the world, all you want is what is best for them. Often times you can’t always control what your child is doing. But when it comes to their teeth, if you teach them good habits it can help their teeth stay crack-free and looking great throughout their life. Smile Reef wants to help you out as a parent and tell you a few things you can teach your child so they do not get a cracked tooth.
Warn Against Chewing Hard Foods
You need to teach your child to not eat and chew on hard foods. Even though eating hard food can be very tempting, even as an adult. If you teach your kids to avoid eating hard foods this can help them as an adult to keep their teeth from being chipped. The types of foods you need to avoid are chewing on hard candy, ice, un-popped popcorn seeds, hard beef jerky and even though it’s not a food, don’t let them bite their fingernails.
Caution Against Using Teeth as Tools
Your teeth are not a tool. You need to teach your children that. Even though sometimes it seems easier to use your teeth instead of going and getting an actual tool, but it is not better for your teeth. When we are talking about using your teeth as a tool, we are talking about trying to open something with your teeth, ripping off a tag on new clothes, and biting down on a nutshell to crack it open. All of these are things that can potentially crack your tooth.
Encourage Kids to Wear Mouth Guards in Contact Sports
A great thing you can do is encourage your children to wear a mouth guard when they are doing any physical sport. Yes, you see people wearing mouth guards in football or basketball because they can be more of a contact sport. But in any contact or team sport, it is a good idea to wear one. You should also think about wearing one even if it is not a team sport. Skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, or even gymnastics are sports where falls can happen and could cause problems to your teeth.
Do Not Ignore Teeth Grinding
If you have noticed your child grinding their teeth don’t ignore it. Grinding teeth can not only lead to a cracked tooth, but it can cause head and jaw pain as well. There are many ways that a dentist can help your child stop teeth grinding and help protect their teeth. You just need to talk to your dentist about the best solution for your child if they are grinding their teeth.
Pediatric Dentistry
Starting good teeth habits while your child is young will help their teeth stay healthy and strong. If you have concerns about your child’s teeth and what they may be doing that could harm their teeth, call a professional like Smile Reef today!
