Kidsville Dental

Healthy Habits, Healthy Smiles

Learn How Common Oral Habits Affect Your Child’s Dental Development

Common Oral Habits in Children

Thumb Sucking

Many children suck their thumb as a natural soothing habit. While it is common, prolonged thumb-sucking can affect the alignment of the teeth and jaw development.

Tongue Thrusting

This habit occurs when the tongue pushes against the teeth during swallowing or talking, leading to misalignment over time.

Mouth Breathing

Mouth breathing, especially when habitual, can lead to crooked teeth and other oral health issues like dry mouth and gum problems.

Nail Biting

Biting nails can lead to tooth damage, misalignment, and infections in the mouth.

Pacifier Habit

Pacifiers or thumb-sucking, if prolonged, can cause similar effects on teeth as thumb-sucking.

Addressing common Oral habits

Thumb/ PacifierSucking

  • Positive reinforcement techniques can help your child stop thumb-sucking.
  • Orthodontic pacifiers can be a temporary solution for younger children.

Tongue Thrusting

  • Myofunctional therapy can help retrain the tongue to function properly and avoid misalignment of teeth.

Mouth Breathing

  • A visit to an ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialist may be needed if mouth breathing is caused by allergies or nasal blockages.
  • Speech therapy can also help if mouth breathing is related to oral muscle function.

Nail Biting

  • Behavior modification strategies, such as positive reinforcement or stress-relief techniques, can help your child break this habit.
Why Early Intervention Is Important

Prevent Long-Term Problems

Promote Healthy Growth

Avoid Extensive Treatments Later

Early intervention can prevent these habits from impacting your child’s oral development.

Addressing habits early helps ensure that the teeth and jaw grow properly.

Breaking these habits early on can reduce the need for braces or other corrective procedures in the future.

How We Help

Comprehensive Evaluations

Behavioral Strategies

Orthodontic Appliances

  • Our team will assess your child’s oral habits and provide customized solutions.
  • We offer child-friendly solutions and techniques to help break these habits.
  • In some cases, we may recommend appliances like habit-breaking devices to help with thumb sucking or tongue thrusting.

FAQs About Oral Habits

Is it normal for my child to suck their thumb?

Yes, it’s normal for babies and toddlers to suck their thumb, but it’s important to stop the habit by age 4 to avoid dental issues.

Can mouth breathing cause permanent dental problems?

Yes, if left untreated, it can lead to misaligned teeth, bite problems, and other complications.

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We can offer strategies, including stress-reducing activities and behavioral therapy.

How We Can Help Your Child's Oral Habits

Early Assessment

Book an appointment for an early evaluation to prevent future oral habit-related problems.

Customized Treatment Plans

We provide tailored plans to address and manage oral habits based on your child’s specific needs.

Help Your Child Build Healthy Habits for a Lifetime

Contact Us for an Evaluation Today!

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