Common Dental Problems For Children And Pre-teens - What Patients Should Consider

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As children grow into their pre-teen years, they begin to develop their permanent teeth and making themselves subject to a whole new set of dental concerns. Parents should keep an eye on their child's oral health during these formative years, especially the following dental issues.

Tongue Thrusting
Tongue thrusting is a habit that can be just as damaging as thumb sucking if not addressed immediately. Tongue thrusting occurs when the mouth is sealed by thrusting the tongue against the lips in order to swallow. This action can yield the same results as thumb sucking, such as protruding front teeth or negatively impacting your child's bite. Tongue thrusting can even affect your child's speech development. Contact your pediatric dentist if tongue thrusting is a concern and he/she can refer you to a speech pathologist to help break this habit.

Lip Sucking
If you've ever seen your child sucking on his/her lower lip, this can be a dental concern as well. Lip sucking has the same effects as thumb sucking, where it can lead to misalignment of the teeth or bite problems. Your pediatric dentist will advise you to use the same steps to stop lip sucking as you would with thumb sucking. The sooner you can break your child of this habit, the better it will be for his/her overall dental health.

Chipped or Broken Teeth
Accidents are bound to happen, especially when you're a child or pre-teen. If a fall or bump causes a baby tooth to become chipped or broken, your pediatric dentist may just remove it and allow the permanent tooth to come in. If your pre-teen is in contact sports, he/she should always wear a mouthguard to protect the teeth.

Early Tooth Loss
Children may lose their primary teeth earlier than expected. Tooth decay and trauma can cause children to lose a tooth prematurely. If this occurs, the surrounding teeth may begin to shift, making the permanent tooth come in crooked later. Contact your pediatric dentist if your child loses a tooth early; a space maintainer may be recommended to keep the space open until the permanent teeth come in.


About the Author:
To learn more about teeth whitening near Arlington and Invisalign near Arlington, it is important to visit a cosmetic dentistry office serving Fairfax and Arlington.



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