One
of the most common orthodontic problems in people of all ages is a
macclusion, or "bad bite," such as an overbite. While not
all overbites are preventable, if you are the parent of a baby or
toddler, know that you can take steps now to help keep your child
from developing an overbite later in life that will need to be
corrected.
Read
on to learn three ways to help prevent an overbite in your child, to
decrease the chance that they will need braces to correct it in the
future.
1.
Limit Pacifier Use
Pacifiers
are useful items to keep around when you have a baby, because they
naturally calm babies. Sucking is one of your baby's natural survival
instincts, because babies must instinctually suck on a breast or
bottle to obtain the nutrition needed to grow.
That
is why a pacifier can help calm your baby when nothing else seems to
appease them. Sucking actually lowers your baby's heart rate and
blood pressure.
In
addition, doctors now recommend that babies sleep with pacifiers in
their mouths until the age of 6 months to prevent SIDS.
Thankfully,
you don't have to stop offering your baby a pacifier altogether to
encourage good oral development when you completely discontinue its
use after the age of four. Continuing pacifier use after the age of
four can affect jaw development and cause front teeth to begin to tip
forward, which contributes to the development of an overbite.
Aim
to start cutting back your child's pacifier use around the age of 3
to ensure the transition is completed in time. Begin offering another
comfort object, such as a blanket or stuffed animal, instead of the
pacifier and gradually reduce pacifier time until the habit is
broken.
2.
Choose the Right Sippy Cup
It
can be an exciting time when your baby transitions from drinking from
a bottle or breastfeeding to drinking from a sippy cup. While you may
be tempted to purchase a traditional sippy cup with a spill-proof
valve to prevent spills, the American Dental Association (ADA) warns
parents that traditional spill-proof sippy cups come with dental
hazards.
Typically,
a child must suck on the spout of a spill-proof sippy to bypass the
spill-proof valve. Sucking on this valve for long periods of time can
lead to improper oral development, including the development of an
overbite.
If
your child already has a sippy cup with a spout that they love, limit
its use to mealtimes only and don't allow them to suck on it
continuously throughout the day to prevent oral development
problems.
If
you have not yet introduced a sippy cup to your child, skip it
altogether and transition them directly to a small, plastic adult cup
or choose a sippy cup with a "360" lid that prevents spills
while allowing your child to sip from the cup as they would a
traditional adult cup.
3.
Identify and Treat Tongue Positioning Problems
Children
need to develop good resting tongue position for the proper
development of their mouths. When not speaking, eating, or drinking,
the tongue should rest against the roof of the mouth, with the tip
positioned slightly behind the front teeth.
While
most children adopt this resting tongue position naturally, others
begin to rest their tongues in improper positions that affect their
orofacial development. Among the many orthodontic problems this can
cause, improper tongue positioning can lead to an overbite.
Next
time your child visits the dentist, ask your dentist to evaluate
their resting tongue position. If they have adopted improper
positioning, your dentist may recommend a "wait and see"
approach to see if they grow out of it or suggest that your child
visit a myotherapist to correct the problem before it causes
orthodontic issues.
While
not all overbites are preventable, follow these tips to
encourage proper
bite development in
your child. Contact the staff at Donald E. Snyder Orthodontics to
schedule an examination today if you suspect your child may be
developing any orthodontic problem.
