Oral care is important for all of us, but it is crucial for children. The mouth is a gateway to the rest of the body, and many illnesses can start in or around your mouth.
You may not realize that cavities are caused by bacteria that live on sugary foods. This blog post discusses why dental hygiene among children is important and what parents should be doing about it.
Why is dental care among children important?
Here are a few of the reasons why dental hygiene among children is important:
1- Children Overall Health
First of all, dental health affects the overall health of children. If cavities aren’t taken care of, they can lead to pain and swelling in the gums and teeth, affecting your child’s well-being and happiness.
In addition, if bad bacteria create an infection around a tooth. It may spread through their body, causing diseases such as meningitis or blood poisoning.
Finally, these bad bacteria might cause pneumonia when they get into the lungs using saliva. We all know how dangerous this disease is for young kids.
Children with malformed teeth may not develop properly, be underweight, display irritability, and are more prone to sickness. Moreover, they require hospitalization more often and complain of disrupted sleep.
2- Speech
Children with bad dental hygiene may also suffer from speech impediments such as lisping or stuttering.
Finally, good oral health is needed to develop a child’s eating habits and food choices. If their teeth are hurting, they should avoid certain foods that might lead to malnutrition. It can affect them both physically and emotionally in the future.
What parents should do about it:
Parents need to prioritize children’s dental care if they want healthy mouths throughout their lives. Just do these simple things you can do at home to ensure kids’ dental health.
- Make sure to brush their teeth before they go to bed.
- Encourage them not to eat too many sweets or snacks between meals.
- Limit the amount of juice and soda your kids drink daily.
If you still notice that your kid needs more care, consult with a professional kids dentist.
3- Cognitive Development
You should also know that good oral health can contribute to your child’s cognitive development.
You might not realize it, but the mouth is actually one of the first organs to develop during pregnancy. There are receptors all over a baby’s gums for taste and touch. Ans, it plays an important role in their ability to learn throughout life.
Before they have teeth, children practice chewing with their mouths open using muscles around the tongue, palate, cheeks, etc. After that, they use this knowledge to learn how words sound by making sounds.
Children who have bad dental hygiene may be at increased risk for speech delays, so make sure you take extra care of them.
4- Psychosocial Consequences
Children who have poor dental hygiene may suffer from psychosocial consequences such as low self-esteem and social stigmatization.
They might not be allowed to play with other kids because they’re afraid of catching something or looking dirty after eating all those sugary foods.
Parents need to make sure their child has healthy teeth so that he can feel confident about himself.
5- Chronic Medical Disease
Finally, we can’t forget that dental health is also important for children who suffer from chronic medical conditions.
Allergies and asthma are often triggered by bad oral hygiene as well as sinus problems.
If your child suffers from any of these diseases or you notice they have difficulty breathing or swallowing, check with a pediatrician immediately! They may be suffering from serious infections due to poor dental hygiene.
They will need antibiotics along with an evaluation by a dentist.
Keep in mind that if your kids don’t develop healthy lifestyle habits now, they’ll continue having these issues. It can further lead to more problems down the road.
6- Other Preventable Conditions
It’s also an excellent time to have your child’s teeth and gums examined. Vitamin deficiencies, bruxism (tooth grinding), and acid reflux are all examples of general health issues.
Early findings suggest that there may be a link between vitamin K2 and fighting tooth decay. Furthermore, regular dental checkups detect mouth tumors at an early stage.
Final thoughts
We hope this blog post was helpful for you as a parent and will help you take better care of your kid’s oral health.
Also, in case you are looking for “pediatric dentists near me” and need a little help? We recommend you take a look at the best Pediatric Dental Clinic Dubai. They offer high-quality and affordable services that will leave your kids smiling!