As parents, we try our best to protect our children’s oral health and learn tips to preserve it. However, without actually knowing how the oral cavity operates and how essential it is for various oral functions, we cannot adequately understand the importance of oral health. In fact, some of the oral cavity facts regarding kids might catch us by surprise. But once we’re in the know, we can enforce a better oral routine at home. In this post, we’ll take you through some weird and wonderful facts about your child’s mouth. Let’s get cracking.

 

 

How Your Child’s Mouth Functions

• Whether smiling, frowning, talking or eating, the oral forces are at play. The mouth and teeth combination enables these actions, including facial expressions and digestion. Lips, teeth and tongue coordinate in order to produce speech by controlling the airflow and hitting the roof of the mouth and the back of the upper teeth to produce sounds. Likewise, when we insert food in our mouth our teeth tear it and grind it into smaller bits that can be pushed down the esophagus. All in all, the mouth plays an important role in preparing the food for ultimate digestion in the stomach and small intestine.
• There are 8 incisors present in our mouth in total, 4 on the bottom and 4 on the top. Canines accompany incisors and are situated on either side. Next to the canines are premolars (usually present in sets of two or four), which break down food efficiently in a grinding fashion. Lined up behind the premolars are the morals, which further enable rough and tough chewing.
• Having gained insight into the natural anatomy of our oral cavity, we can understand how important it is to preserve the natural framework of teeth in our children. Misaligned or missing teeth can affect not just the speech but also the facial appearances of children. Moreover, poor teeth positioning is also likely to severely disrupt their confidence level. A person’s bite can also be affected causing an overbite or underbite. In either case, he/she can suffer from immense pain or discomfort while chewing.
• Caring for our children’s oral spaces starts from as early as infancy. It might sound surprising but the truth is an infant already possesses his set of primary teeth that have yet to erupt. Even during pre-eruption, the baby’s oral health must be taken care of – including routine visits to a pediatric dentist. Pediatric dentistry is involved in planning and caring for our children’s health from the very beginning as it guides parents with useful and productive tips.

 

Fun Facts About Children’s Oral Activity

• There are many facts about our children’s mouth that we are not aware of. For example, how many teeth are babies born with or how many teeth fall out during infancy? This information helps us keep track of your child’s health progress. Sometimes, a child does not shed teeth when he should. This indicates a problem and prompts a dental visit. Likewise, learning more and more about natural health helps us take action on time without delaying any symptoms.

 

 

Babies are Born With 20 Teeth

• Not many of us know that babies are usually born with baby teeth that are stored in their gums until the time of eruption. The teething process can be aggravating for them. If proper oral hygiene isn’t ensured, babies can develop infections or severe irritation. In order to practice good oral hygiene, mothers should keep a soft (clean) cloth at hand to routinely wipe the baby’s gums. This ensures the baby doesn’t accumulate bacteria in his/her mouth. It also keeps their gums fresh and clear.

 

Negligence of Oral Care in Mothers Can Cause Cavities in Babies

• This is rarely known to most of us but according to data, about 70% of cases have indicated that babies who were born with cavities are due to mothers practicing poor oral hygiene. Streptococcus mutans is a bacteria that forms a cavity and can be transmitted from the mother to the baby even before the teeth eruption process begins.

 

Children Should Visit their Dentists as Early as Possible

• Pediatric caregivers are trained in the field of caring for children. They have the patience and warmth to comfort children while examining their oral health. Moreover, they also have foresight in identifying developing oral conditions. Visiting dentists not only helps ingrain a positive attitude towards healthy lifestyles but also familiarizes the child with his/her dentist, allowing him/her to comfortably share any oral health issues that they may be facing.

 

Sweet and Sugary Food Aren’t the Only Type of Food to be Worried About

• When it comes to planning for the health of our children’s teeth and gums, we construct a list of foods to eat in moderation. However, what most of us don’t know is that candies/chocolates/fizzy drinks aren’t the only culprits that catalyze the development of cavities but other foods like bread, cheese and crackers as well.
• This is due to the content of starch present in them. Starch when broken down is an element of sugar itself. So while limiting our children’s candy intake, we should implement strict oral hygiene to follow up with every time they consume foods with high starch content.

 

Frenula and Frenectomy Can be a Common Concern

• Frenectomy involves the snagging of the frenula in cases in which speech or the motion of your child’s mouth is limited. By removing the frenum, dentists tend to expand the range of motion of the lips or tongue. Depending on what best suits our children’s condition, a pediatric dentist would either go for a minimally invasive alternative to cause less bleeding and ensure a quick recovery or a minor surgery to deliver the best possible results.

 

 

Make Sure to Visit a Professional Pediatric

As with any type of healthcare practitioner, there could be a lot at risk if we don’t properly investigate the doctor or dentist we are choosing to visit, especially if it concerns our child’s mouth health. Pediatric dentistry requires dedicated professionals to provide care to children by paying attention to even the most minute details. One of the best ways to determine a suitable dentist is to learn of his specialized areas. Pediatric dentistry and orthodontics are the restorative strength of Kinder Smiles – a children’s dentist and orthodontist.

 

Conclusion

Professionally adept dentists and orthodontists operate in accordance with the criteria set by the American Dental Association. Dentists at Kinder Smiles are trained to provide care for children and infants in a manner that ensures their comfort and happiness. If you’re a concerned parent looking to book a dental visit, feel free to pursue a consultation at Kinder Smiles at your earliest. Dr. Engel and his professional team members will gladly look into your child’s mouth to fulfill your expectations!

• Which tip will you try first???
• Either way, let us know by leaving a comment below right now and continue the conversation.

 

Dental Clinic Conveniently Serving 07649 and the Surrounding Areas

400 Kinderkamack Rd.
Oradell, NJ 07649

Phone: 551-210-4012

 

Your Child’s Mouth Explained | SUPER FUN FACTS in 2020