Baby Teeth Problems

Baby teeth problems are all too common in youngsters who get set in bad habits early on. Sometimes teeth issues and disorders can crop up just because Mother Nature determines it. Whether your young child's teeth problems are self-inflicted or not, chances are you're looking for solutions to help her on her way toward healthy, straight and functioning adult teeth. Thanks to modern medicine (and the helpful fact that childhood teeth aren't permanent), you can determine whether your child suffers from any of these underlying factors, and if so, what can be done to remedy the situation.

Early Childhood Caries

• Another popular name for this condition explains exactly what it is: baby bottle tooth decay. This happens when a little one's teeth come into constant contact with liquids that contain sugars, such as fruit juice, formula, milk and sugar water. Even human breast milk can cause a bit of decay. When your baby's body breaks down these sugars found in almost everything a baby drinks as part of his nutrition plan, some of the residue will sit in the mouth, making a bacteria that causes tooth decay. Tooth decay that goes untreated can cause unnecessary pain and sometimes make it difficult for your baby to eat. Finally, since baby teeth help guide adult teeth into proper alignment, issues such as an abscessed tooth or chronic decay and infection can lead to issues with adult teeth, as well.

  There are easy ways to prevent tooth decay caused by a bottle. First and foremost, don't give your baby a bottle except for necessary feedings. If you must give him a bottle, fill it with only water, or try a pacifier instead. Allowing continual nursing overnight can also cause problems. Instead, nurse only at designated, necessary mealtimes and find other ways to comfort and sooth baby.

Thumb Sucking

• Young children suck their thumbs as a way of comforting themselves and feeling secure. However, if thumb sucking is constant and continuous, or goes beyond the toddler years, it can cause major teeth problems. Teeth can be pushed into a skewed alignment, and it can even affect your youngster's speech in some instances. To prevent this tooth ailment, stop thumb sucking very early on, before it becomes a childhood habit. If your baby is old enough to comprehend right from wrong, praise him whenever he chooses another form of self-soothing that is not thumb sucking. This may include cuddling a favorite toy, using a pacifier occasionally or coming to you for a cuddle. You can also purchase various gels and even a thumb cover from your drug store that will counteract the desire to suck thumbs. However, speak with your pediatrician before trying any of these methods.

Tongue Thrusting

• Tongue thrusting is a problem that sometimes starts in infancy. It will put undue pressure on front teeth, thus forcing them out of alignment. Just like thumb sucking, this can cause an eventual overbite with adult teeth or cause speech struggles early in life. If your child is tongue thrusting, even as a baby, consult a speech therapist. There are treatment options available even for very young children.

Lip Sucking

• Lip sucking is another common childhood habit that leads to teeth problems, even in babies. This is when a baby or toddler will suck the lower lip in underneath the front teeth. Just like thumb sucking and tongue thrusting, this can majorly damage the appearance of adult teeth and can also weaken baby teeth. The solution is found in the same steps described for thumb sucking. Again, consult your pediatrician if you are especially concerned about your little one's tendency to suck his lower lip.

Premature Tooth Loss

• Typically, children do not lose teeth until around age 5. However, premature tooth loss sometimes occurs in infants and toddlers. This usually is the result of decay or injury. It can also occur due to a lack of adequate jaw space.

  Losing baby teeth while still a baby can be an arduous situation, as it can close up the space an adult tooth needs to sprout. This can cause the new, permanent tooth to be tilted or crooked. Adult teeth that come in out of alignment can hinder proper chewing and can also lead to joint problems that can be quite painful.

  If your baby or toddler loses a tooth, go to a dentist right away. He may provide you with a space maintainer, which is a device that will hold open the space necessary for the adult tooth to come in. It can be easily removed once adult teeth have safely arrived.