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Nature vs. Nurture: Dental Problems Parents Pass Down To Children

December 9th, 2021

Parents, in particular, want to know: does DNA predetermine dental health? It's the classic nature vs. nurture question that dentists get asked often, but the answer doesn't simply boil down to one or the other. The scary truth is that many dental problems are indeed "inherited"–but not from genetics alone! Harmful habits that run in the family can also play a huge role in the health of your child's smile. Find out which oral issues you could be passing down, and what you can do about them.

DNA-Driven Dental Issues

Even before birth, the stage has already been set for certain aspects of your child's oral health. Ultimately, your child's genes dictate the likelihood for common issues such as:

    • Jaw-related Disorders: The size and position of one's jaws, as well as overall facial structure, are hereditary traits that can cause a number of bite complications (or "malocclusions"). Overbites or underbites caused by uneven jaws can lead to chewing and speech difficulties, and result in chronic pain and/or Temporomandibular Jaw Disorder ("TMJ") if left untreated.
    • Tooth Misalignments: Spacing problems, either due to missing or overcrowded teeth, are oral issues that have been hardwired in a person even before the emergence of teeth. Cases where people lack some ("Anodontia") or all ("Hypodontia") permanent teeth can threaten gum and jaw health, as can instances of "supernumerary" teeth, in which extra teeth erupt.
    • Weak Tooth Enamel: Though rare, it is possible for tooth enamel to be defective, or develop abnormally. Dentin, which makes up the protective enamel covering of teeth, may not be produced or mineralize at normal levels, leaving teeth vulnerable to decay, sensitivity and damage.
    • Predisposition To Oral Cancer: Genetic mutations and the presence of oncogenes, a type of gene that transforms healthy cells into cancerous ones, can increase the risk for cancer by interfering with the body's ability to metabolize certain carcinogens.

From serious conditions such as a cleft palate, to occasional aggravations like canker sores, many other oral issues may be linked to genetics. Keeping track and sharing the family's health history with your child's dentist can help detect and treat inherited conditions as early as possible.

Behavioral Risks

DNA may deal your child some unavoidable complications, but when it comes to tooth decay and gum disease, learned habits and tendencies shoulder much more of the blame, including:

    • "Oversharing": Harmful oral bacteria from a loved one can easily colonize and overtake your little one's mouth from something as simple as sharing food, utensils, or kissing. The inadvertent swapping of saliva can put your child at increased risk for cavities and gingivitis.
    • Diet Choices: Satisfying that sweet tooth with sugary, refined treats, or turning to soda and juice for refreshment can create an unhealthy addiction that's as dangerous to the mouth as it is to the waist. Sugar and acid can eat away at the tooth enamel, causing cavities and tooth sensitivity. Exposure to certain chemicals and ingredients can also cause discoloration.
    • Bad Hygiene: Last, but certainly not least, lacking a good dental routine can wreak havoc on teeth and gums. Failing to follow through on brushing and flossing twice a day (or as recommended by the dentist) can create a haven for cavities and periodontitis, not to mention halitosis.

Leading by example is an easy, effective way to teach your child the importance of oral health while benefitting the whole family.

Stay One Step Ahead

Every parent wants the best for his or her child–including a healthy smile. With so many potential problems that can be passed down, protecting your child's oral health is not easy, but you don't have to do it alone. Seek the help of your child's dentist for optimal professional and at-home dental care. Treating existing issues early on and teaching your child to make dental-friendly decisions can provide lifelong benefits to his or her health.


Sources:

CDC Oral Cancer Background Papers. (n.d.) Retrieved July 9, 2015, from http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/cdc/cdc_chapter3.php

Rondon, Nayda. (n.d.) Genetic Dental Abnormalities: Type and Symptoms. Retrieved July 10, 2015, from http://www.yourdentistryguide.com/genetic-abnormalities/

No Crying Necessary: Simple Ways to Stop Thumb Sucking

November 16th, 2021

At first it was adorable, but now it has become worrisome. Starting to fear your child is addicted to thumb sucking? Push those worst-case scenarios and harsh weaning tactics from your mind. Here is the truth about the dental risks, when it is necessary to intervene, and effective ways to break the habit for good.

Long-Term Effects of Non-Nutritive Sucking

Prolonged sucking can ultimately lead to a number of oral issues: jaw misalignment, protrusion of the upper teeth, crookedness and/or bite problems.

Left unchecked, sucking can also alter the natural position of the jawbone and change the shape and sensitivity of the roof of the mouth, which can lead to a lisp over time.

While corrective action and regular dentist visits can save your little one from such dental trauma, timing can make a big difference in the experience for parent and child.

When Should Parent Intervene?

According to the American Dental Association, dental problems associated with thumb sucking typically occur with the arrival of permanent teeth. This means that if your child only has primary teeth, you can table extreme measures to curb the habit for now.

In fact, thumb sucking is a natural, self-soothing reflex for many babies and toddlers, and a wise (and non-traumatic) course of action may simply be to wait and see if your child outgrows the behavior over time.

If your child starts to lose baby teeth, however, and still sucks his or her thumb aggressively, you'll need to step in to prevent dental problems from emerging.

How to Put an End to the Thumb Sucking for Good

Just as there are different reasons that drive children to suck their thumbs, there are also a number of options to help stop it. Here are a few tried-and-true methods worth considering:

  1. Provide alternate means of comfort: if the habit seems born out of anxiety or stress, see if a well-timed hug or kiss, or offering a favorite toy does the trick
  2. Reward his or her efforts: enthusiastic praise, a sticker, or other special treat can be very motivating and make the process fun
  3. Use creative reminders: agree on a special signal to help discretely halt the behavior if you catch your child doing it in public, and try a bandage over the finger or a sock over the hand to deter thumb sucking at night
  4. Seek help from the dentist: a mouth guard or special coating for the thumb may ultimately be recommended depending on your child's dental situation

No matter which route you choose, keeping a positive approach and demeanor will go a long way in making the experience less stressful for both you and your child.

It could also be helpful to team up with your dentist to tackle the issue. A dental examination and professional guidance can help point you in the right direction depending on the severity of thumb sucking and your child's age. Schedule a consultation to share your concerns, and/or provide an update on the situation during your next appointment.


Sources:

Feature, H. (n.d.). Help Children Stop Thumbsucking: 9 Tips. Retrieved June 2, 2015, from http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/9-ways-to-wean-a-child-off-thumb-sucking

Thumbsucking. (2014). Retrieved June 2, 2015, from http://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/t/thumbsucking

5 Good Dental Habits to Teach Your Children

November 11th, 2021

Caring for your overall physical health is very important and requires a lot of good choices and habits, habits we need to help our children learn, as well. One important aspect of health is ensuring that you are properly caring for your teeth and oral health. Here are five easy tips to teach your children that can help them develop healthy habits for their teeth.

See the Dentist Regularly

Both the AAPD and the American Academy of Pediatrics say you should take your child to the dentist by his first birthday. In addition to conducting a thorough oral exam, the dentist will obtain a dental history, guide parents on proper brushing habits and cavity prevention, and establish how often a child should visit, among other things. Seeing a dentist is a great way to ensure that your children are properly cleaned and that all plaque is removed. It can also help you to identify and care for dental challenges and issues before they turn into larger problems. You should try and have your kids see a dentist at least twice per year. Doing this will help your kids start to build habits of seeing healthcare providers, which can offer a range of benefits for years to come.

Brush and Floss Each Night

One of the most important factors that can influence the health of anyone’s teeth is whether or not they brush and floss their teeth each day. Kids and grownups, alike, should aim to brush and floss their teeth at least twice per day. Ideally, this should be done after eating breakfast and before bed. To ensure that your kids build good habits, you should start helping them with this as soon as they start to grow teeth. This is then a habit that they will carry with themselves for the rest of their lives, which can ensure they keep their teeth clean between dental visits. Technique is also important!  Tilt the bristles a bit toward the gums and gently brush in tiny little circles, touching every surface of each tooth. As for flossing, no matter how well you brush your child's teeth, if they are touching you're not going to be able to get all the food or plaque out. Those little-kid disposable flossers are fine, as long as you still pull the floss firmly against the sides of each tooth.

Make it Fun

While dental care is important for all kids, they may find that it is not very fun and inconvenient when they’d rather be doing other things. Fortunately, there are tips that you can follow that can help to make it more fun for your kids. Some of the ways that you can do this are by using kid-friendly toothbrushes and toothpaste or even playing some of their favorite songs while they are brushing and flossing at night. This could help them create a positive association with keeping their teeth clean and healthy.

Don’t be afraid to get your children’s teeth straightened

Eventually, your child may need to have their teeth straightened. It’s very common for teeth to grow in without being completely straight. To ensure that they are able to enjoy a healthy smile while also avoiding more serious dental challenges in the future, having their teeth straightened may be a good idea. Make sure you look for a reputable and reliable practice and don’t be shy to ask lots of questions before making a decision.

Focus on Diet

One of the most important factors that will influence the health and appearance of your teeth is your diet. Those that eat a healthy diet that is full of fiber, calcium, vitamins, and lean protein will develop stronger bones and teeth. Those that eat too much sugar and do not clean their teeth properly afterward could see their teeth start to rot and decay. Eventually, this could result in cavities and other challenges. By encouraging your kids to think about their health when eating food and avoid too many unhealthy snacks, you could help them form habits that will keep their teeth strong and healthy for years to come.

 

Eating Right for Dental Health: What to Consume and Avoid

November 9th, 2021

Image below: Greensboro Children's Museum staff member helping with our joint Tooth Time & cooking demo in 2019. We will be hosting another Tooth Time Program at GCM on Wednesday, November 17, 2021. Click Here to sign up to participate this year!

Dental health starts in the...kitchen? You read that correctly! Of course, brushing, flossing, and regular dental visits are important, but they aren't the only things to consider when it comes to keeping your pearly whites in tiptop shape.

Most people understand that they should limit the sweets and candy they take in, but beyond sugary foods, what should and shouldn't you be consuming? Here are some do's and don'ts to help you eat right for your oral health.

The Do's of Eating for Dental Health

To promote good oral health, the majority of your diet should consist of the following foods:

    • Fiber Rich Fruits and Vegetables – These scrub bacteria off teeth while stimulating saliva flow to neutralize acids that can damage teeth. Examples of fruits and vegetables you should eat are apples, carrots, celery, and other water-based options.
    • Water – Water protects teeth and gums by stimulating the production of saliva, thereby reducing sugars and bacteria left on the teeth. Of course, water is a great alternative for soft drinks or other sugary beverages too.
    • Dairy Products – Dairy products are absolutely a "do"! Calcium, phosphates, and vitamin D in dairy products help strengthen teeth and prevent tooth decay.
    • Nuts – Different nuts offer different oral health benefits. For example, peanuts provide calcium and vitamin D, whereas cashews stimulate saliva and help clean the teeth.

Keep in mind that even healthy foods may contain sugar, so it's always important to brush your teeth twice a day.

The Don'ts of Eating for Dental Health

Knowing what you shouldn't eat often is as important as knowing what you should. While some healthy eating don'ts are obvious, some aren't as well known:

    • Candy and Sweets – Sticky sweets adhere to your teeth and can't be easily washed away by saliva. This can cause tooth decay, especially if you regularly snack on sweets between meals.
    • Starchy Carbohydrates – Bacteria feed on the simple sugars that are left by starchy carbohydrates like chips, pasta, bread, or crackers. These bacteria produce acid, which can cause plaque buildup and tooth decay over time.
    • Soft Drinks – Like sweets, most regular soft drinks are packed with sugar and even diet soft drinks contain harmful levels of phosphorous. This can wear down the enamel on your teeth and leave them susceptible to decay.
    • Acidic Foods – Acids in citrus foods and even pickles can also wear down enamel.
    • Dried Fruits and Juices – Both juices and dried fruits have highly concentrated levels of sugar that can cause problems similar to candy and sweets.

Eating Healthy for Your Teeth Means Eating in Moderation

You don't have to go to extremes. You can still enjoy many of the don'ts in moderation and if you brush directly after consuming them. Limiting the don'ts and focusing on the do's will not only give you a brighter smile, but also help to improve your overall health.


Sources:

Diet and Oral Health. (2014, March 31). Retrieved June 2, 2015 from (http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/diet-oral-health

Patel, A. (2014, April 3). 14 Best and Worst Foods for Your Teeth. Retrieved June 2, 2014 from http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/04/03/foods-for-teeth-_n_5085621.html

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