How Does A Nail Biting Habit Affect The Child’s Teeth?
Nail biting can be more than just a bad habit, it can have a huge impact on your child’s teeth and their health. If your child participates in this activity, then finding a way to stop it sooner rather than later is beneficial. You may also need to take them to kids dental in Markham to ensure they didn’t cause permanent damage.
There are many reasons why your child might bite her nails. It can be because of stress, boredom, or excitement. No matter what the reason, finding a way to stop this habit will ensure the health of your child’s mouth. Below are some of the ways that nail biting impacts your child’s mouth and may require a visit to a pediatric dentist in Markham to correct.
1. It wears down teeth
When you child bites their nails, it puts stress on their teeth. This can lead to the enamel on their teeth getting worn down, as well as the teeth being moved out of alignment. If the enamel gets worn down too far, this can allow bacteria to get in and cause cavities. This, as you can imagine, will cause a lot of discomfort and will require a filling to correct.
2. It’s unclean
Think about what your child does with their hands throughout the day. Think about all of the things they touch. Even if they have normal hand washing habits, bacteria and other debris can still find their way under the nails. When your child puts them in their mouths, they are putting that bacteria in there as well.
Having that bacteria in the mouth can increase the chances of cavities forming. In addition, if your child swallows their nails instead of spitting them out, then that bacteria is getting into the stomach and can cause stomach issues. Getting rid of this habit altogether will be healthier for your child and their body.
3. It can lengthen orthodontic treatment
If your child wears braces and they bite their nails, this can increase the amount of time they have to wear these on their teeth. Again, it can introduce bacteria into the mouth. With braces, it can be challenging to brush it away properly. In addition, since the act puts stress on your child’s teeth, it can weaken tooth roots or potentially even break the wires.
Nail biting is more than a bad habit, it can be dangerous. It can lead to an increase in the amount of bacteria in a child’s mouth, and it can increase the chance of wearing down teeth and moving them out of alignment. To ensure that this has not happened yet, taking your child to Markham dentistry for children can be beneficial. As can finding ways to break the habit.
For any problems with nail biting or for a regular dental checkup for your child, contact Markham 7 Dental. We have the dentists who can ensure your child’s teeth are healthy and make their smile dazzling.
