How to Break Children's Bad Dental Habits
by Julie Wichgers , CDA at Gentle Family Dentistry

While it is important to maintain good oral habits in children, it is equally important to understand and break the bad habits. Going to bed with a bottle, thumb/finger sucking, and swallowing toothpaste are all examples of bad dental habits for children.

Going to Bed With a Bottle

It is best not to put a baby in the crib with a bottle. If you must, only put water in the bottle. Any other substance like juice or even milk will result in tooth decay. The Sugar from the liquid in the bottle stays on the teeth for a long period of time while the child sleeps. The bacteria on the child's teeth and the sugars mix. This mixture forms a acid that weakens enamel and causes cavities. Dentists sometimes use the word "bottle mouth" to describe the mouth condition of a child that has been sent to bed repeatedly with a bottle.

Thumb/Finger Sucking

Thumb and finger sucking is a bad habit because it could cause the child to have an overbite. This could cause the need for orthodontia in the future. Most children tend to stop this habit on their own between the ages of 2 and 4, however, it is much easier to break any habit when it first begins.

Swallowing Toothpaste

Getting your child to brush their teeth everyday is a major accomplishment for both you and your child. A bad habit that children generally pick up is using too much toothpaste and swallowing it. By swallowing too much toothpaste a child can develop fluorosis. Fluorosis is when a child ingests too much fluoride over time and possible side effects are brown and white spots on their teeth.

Please be assured that patients who have Milwaukee County water need not be alarmed about excess fluoride in the water. Milwaukee County Water Service prints an annual report on water quality and fluoride levels showing a clinically beneficial and safe level for regular water consumption straight from the tap. If you are a resident outside Milwaukee County, please check with your county's water service for more information on your community's water.

It is wise to use a non-fluorinated toothpaste until a child is old enough to not ingest the excess paste. Non-fluorinated toothpaste is available in the oral hygiene section or infant section at your local pharmacy. As soon as the child is old enough to learn NOT to ingest toothpaste, it is best to switch to an ADA approved toothpaste containing fluoride.

If you have any questions about any of these topics, feel free to contact our office. We are at your service and are happy to answer your questions.

** This article written by Julie Wichgers, CDA at Gentle Family Dentistry in New Berlin, WI. Copyright© 2007 Gentle Family Dentistry (http://www.gfdonline.com). All rights reserved.