How to Protect Your Teeth

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How to Protect Your Teeth

My kids are involved in several different sports, including some that are known for being a bit rough, like hockey and football. I worry about them being injured, but I don’t want to curb their athletic spirit. So I take steps to make certain that they’re as protected as possible. That means protecting their teeth, too. My children’s dentist told me that the best way to protect their teeth was to use custom mouth guards that would keep their teeth safe even in the event of a blow to the mouth. I started this blog to talk about different ways to protect teeth – from mouth guards and dental devices you wear while you sleep, to plain old brushing and flossing. There are many ways to protect your teeth depending on your needs. Find out which one is right for you.

Are Your Child's Adult Teeth Coming In Crooked? Get Their Teeth Examined

If your child is starting to lose their teeth and their adult teeth are coming in crooked, you want to have them examined by an orthodontist. These crooked teeth can cause problems for your child's oral health, and can inflict future problems with their smile.

The orthodontist will look at the teeth, have X-rays completed, and they will determine what needs to be done to correct the issues. Here are a few reasons to consider orthodontic treatment right away.

Impaction

If the teeth are coming in crooked, it may be preventing other teeth from coming in straight. This can cause the other teeth to get impacted in the gum tissue. This can cause pain, inflammation, tissue damage, and the child could get a bacterial abscess and infection. An abscess can even be fatal if it isn't treated.

If the teeth are impacted, they can push into the jaw bone and cause fractures. The impacted teeth can also affect the development and alignment of the teeth.

Cavities

If the teeth are crowded close together, it makes it hard to floss and brush to get the teeth totally clean. Food and sugar or starches may also get trapped in between your child's crowded teeth. This is going to increase your child's risk of developing cavities. You don't want your child to get cavities in their adult teeth at a young age, and straightening the teeth can prevent problems.

Crooked Smile

If some of the teeth are crooked, they are going to push the other teeth in the mouth, and it can force the other teeth to come in crooked as well. You want to get the teeth straightened so the rest of the teeth fall in line properly. Your orthodontist might also have to pull some of the baby teeth so there is enough room for the adult teeth to come in.

Crooked teeth can cause speech problems, and can put your child at the increased risk of developing gum disease. If you have any concerns about the way your child's adult teeth are coming in or you notice they are crooked, don't ignore the problem. The sooner you fix the problem with the help of a family orthodontist, the fewer potential problems you'll have to worry about down the road. You don't want to worry about more dental work later on because you didn't take care of the problems right away.


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