Bad Oral Hygiene Habits In Kids

Children, being innocent and unaware, often develop many detrimental dental habits leading to many serious dental conditions in future. The bad dental habits in kids may result in cavities, plaque, toothache, or crooked teeth during an early age. Getting rid of any dental condition is really a daunting task for parents as well as children too. Metamorphosing bad dental habits into suggested good habits is much simpler if religiously tackled with patience and prudence. A few of these bad dental habits are mentioned here below:

Bad Habits in Kids

Thumb or Finger Sucking

In the initial year of the kid’s life, thumb sucking is not conceived as a bad dental habit but it is considered to be a general self-comforting behavior very common among children of this age. It has been witnessed that many of them cease to practice this habit themselves by the age of five whereas there are cases where a few kids refuse to give up this habit. Because of emotional problems some kids continue to maintain this habit even after growing quite old. This habit of thumb sucking may lead to some dental conditions like buck teeth in which the front upper teeth projects outside. This dental situation requires orthodontic attention.

Night Breast Feeds

Breast feeding at night may be harmful when the baby’s teeth starts growing as the breast milk contains sugary substance. It gets accumulated on the baby’s teeth and may often lead to tooth cavity and decay. It is advisable to clean the mouth of your baby after night breast feed to keep any dental harm at bay.

Bottle Feed at Night

Bottle feeds at night are also harmful and result in cavities in kids as the sugar containing feed fuses with the bacteria present on the baby’s teeth. It may often also lead to discoloration of the teeth in case the mouth is not properly cleaned after feeding milk.

Sippy cups

Sipping through sippy cups throughout the day is also a bad dental habit that should be discouraged. It may lead to tooth decay. It is suggested not to allow your kids develop the habit of feeding themselves only through Sippy cups for the whole day if you want to avoid any dental trouble in future.

Use of Pacifier for Long Periods

If toddlers use pacifiers for a long time it may obstruct the development of teeth and jaw of your kids. Therefore, it is imperative to discontinue this habit to avoid any dental damage to your kid.

Ingesting Fluoride Toothpaste

It has been witnessed that children tend to swallow the toothpaste during brushing their teeth. It may lead to brown spots all over the teeth and fluorosis – a dental condition witnessed due to excessive intake of fluoride. You need to teach them to spit out the toothpaste instead of swallowing it as it my create problem.

Sugary Drinks

At a very young age say one year old kid consume colas and soft drinks in heavy quantity on regular basis. This habit is very damaging for the newly developed teeth that the kid should care about. You should curtail this habit of your kid and try to impart good eating and drinking habits to enjoy good dental health.

Chewing the Pencil and Pen

Children are often prone to putting pencil and pen into their mouth and they even chew to ignorance. It is in fact a damaging habit for their teeth. Chewing pencil or pen can invite bacteria in the mouth resulting in tooth troubles. It also erodes the surface of teeth.

Brushing Rigorously

If your kid brush the teeth too hard, it can wear down the enamel of the teeth and damage the gums too. It is suggested that you should supervise the way of tooth brushing of your kids and make them learn the right process of brushing.

Brushing for Insufficient Time

Kids are not patient enough to brush their teeth for more than two to three minutes, which is a bad habit. Brushing teeth for an insufficient amount of time may lead to oral hygiene issues like plaque on the teeth, bad breath, yellow teeth, etc. Brushing the teeth once in a day is again a wrong habit. It is advisable to brush the teeth at least two times a day.

Sharing Tooth Brushes

It has often been witnessed that siblings share their toothbrush thus at the same time also shares infection and bacteria. Better this habit should be discouraged and stopped to avoid any further problems.

Retaining a good dental health of kids is not very difficult if you are patient and investigative in your approach. Have a vigil on the above said dental habits of your kids and make sure that they follow the right oral hygiene and have a perfect healthy smile on their faces.

Being specialist in Kids Dentistry, Dr. Arthur has years of experience in diagnosis and evaluating kids oral hygiene for better growth of the teeth in the future. If you feel helpless avoiding above described habits in your kids, have a friendly consultation with Dr. Arthur and know the correct way to follow for keeping your children away from these habits.

Book an Appointment

Please feel free to ring us at
(03) 9544 8241

Dental Fillings

Why live with painful and unsightly cavities when you can have them filled by our dentists in a painless procedure!
In order to repair a cavity, the decayed portion of your tooth will be removed by your dentist. The portion of the tooth occupied by the decayed material will then be filled. Fillings are utilised to repair teeth that are broken, cracked, or that have cavities.

What Are The Steps For Filling Teeth?
Initially, a local anaesthetic will be injected into the area that surrounds the tooth. Novocaine is normally used. Then, a drill, laser, or air abrasion will be utilised to remove the area that is decayed. The type of instrument that is used will depend on the preference and training of your dentist, along with the extent and location of the tooth decay.

Your dentist will then test and probe the area of decay to ensure that all decayed material has been removed. After the removal of the decay, the space to be occupied by the filling will be cleaned so that all debris and bacteria are removed. If the area of the decay is close to the root, a liner constructed of a composite resin, glass ionomer or other type of material may be used in order to provide protection to the nerve. After the insertion of the filling, it will be finished and polished.

Additional steps are needed for fillings that are tooth-coloured. Subsequent to the removal of decay and cleaning of the area, the material that is tooth-coloured will be applied in layers. A specially designed light that hardens or cures each layer is used. After the completion of the multi-layering procedure, the composite material will be shaped by your dentist, excess material will be trimmed, and it will be polished.


Filling Materials Used
There are several types of filling materials that are currently available. Teeth may be filled with porcelain, gold, silver amalgam, or tooth-coloured composite resins. Silver amalgam is comprised of mercury with tin, silver, copper, and zinc mixed with it. The extent and location of the cavity, expense of filling material, insurance coverage of the patient, and the recommendation of the dentist will determine the kind of filling material that will best suit your needs

Gold Fillings
Pros

  • Extremely durable – will usually last for the life of the patient. Will not corrode.
  • Strength – Can withstand almost any chewing forces
  • Aesthetics – Some people prefer the look of gold to sliver amalgam

Cons

  • Expense – more costly than other types of material. Can be 10 X more costly than amalgam
  • Multiple Office Visits – requires a minimum of two visits
  • Aesthetics – some patients don’t like its appearance

Silver Amalgam Fillings
Pros

  • Durability – Normally lasts longer than composites. Normally lasts ten to fifteen years or more.
  • Strength – able to withstand all chewing forces
  • Expense – costs less than gold or composite fillings

Cons

  • Generally poor aesthetics – natural colour of teeth is not matched
  • Requires more space – A portion of the tooth that is healthy must be removed, at times, to provide a large enough area for the amalgam filling.
  • Discolouration – a hue that is greyish may be imparted to the adjacent tooth structure
  • Fractures and Cracks – All teeth expand and contract with temperature changes, which can cause cracking. However, amalgam materials may expand and contract to a greater extent than other materials, leading to an increased incidence of fractures and cracks.
  • Allergies – approximately 1% of patients have allergies to the mercury that is in silver amalgam

Composite Fillings – Tooth Coloured
Pros

  • Aesthetics – composites can be closely matched to the colour of the patient’s teeth. They are particularly useful for teeth that are visible
  • Bonding – composite fillings will bond chemically with a tooth and provide structural support to the tooth
  • Versatile – can also be utilised in the repair of broken, worn, or chipped teeth
  • Space requirement – at times less tooth material is needed to be removed in comparison to silver amalgam fillings when preparing a space for this filling.

Cons

  • Reduced durability – Composite fillings do not last as long as amalgams or gold. In addition, they often don’t hold up as well under the pressure of use, particularly if they are used to fill large cavities.
  • Takes Longer – due to the process needed to fill a tooth with composite materials, it takes longer in the dentists chair to place them.
  • More than one visit – if composites are being used for onlays or inlays, it may require more than one office visit
  • Chipping – composite materials are more likely to chip than amalgams
  • Cost – composite filling may cost twice as much as amalgam fillings

Additional Filling Materials
In addition to composite resins that are tooth coloured, there are two other types of tooth-coloured fillings. Glass ionomer and ceramics.

Glass Ionomer
This material is constructed of a specific type of glass and acrylic. It is commonly utilised on fillings that are beneath the gum line and for young children. This material releases fluoride, which may protect a tooth from additional decay. Nevertheless, glass ionomer is not as strong as composite resin and more prone to fracture and wear. It normally lasts for five years or less and the expense is similar to composites.

Ceramics
Usually constructed of porcelain. Ceramics are stain resistant, compared to composites, but are more abrasive. Ceramics are very durable, and usually last for 15 years or more, but, they are costly, and the expense can be similar to gold.

Porcelain Crown & Veneers

Rejuvenate Your Smile with Porcelain Crown and Veneers from Monash Dental Group
Remember; beautiful and aesthetically appealing cosmetic dentistry is not a matter of chance; it demands an experienced clinician who is sensitive to your unique needs and an expert dental ceramist who leverages the art and science of dentistry to deliver optimal results. At Monash Dental Group, we boast an expert team of experienced cosmetic dentists, who have extensive experience in fitting patients with porcelain veneers and crowns. Our first-class porcelain veneers and crowns are highly effective for your unique functional and cosmetic needs.

At Monash Dental Group, our products are expertly crafted to compliment your age, gender, expectations, and facial features. We leverage the expertise of the best dental ceramists to guarantee that the veneers and crowns are of premium quality, resilient, and possess excellent craftsmanship. We work diligently to provide you with a top-quality product that beautifully compliments your face, while simultaneously restoring the function and aesthetics of your natural teeth.

Porcelain Veneers
Typically, porcelain veneers are a form of thin laminates of chinaware that are securely bonded to the surface of the tooth. For diverse dental problems, it is one of the most aesthetically appealing means of enhancing your smile. Veneers are one of the most popular treatments for restoration of chips, spaces, fractures, unshapely and discoloured teeth, or misaligned and rotated teeth. They deliver an unmatched cosmetic makeover that allows alteration of shape, position, size, and the colour of your teeth. Monash Dental Group boasts experienced cosmetic dentists who deliver exceptional results with porcelain veneers. We feature:

  • Dramatic yet aesthetically beautiful and natural cosmetic dental enhancement
  • Durable, high quality, and permanent
  • Enhanced self esteem

The procedure typically requires two appointments. At first, the tooth is prepared for minimal reduction to make enough space for the porcelain veneer. A mould of the tooth is taken for fabrication, which takes approximately 2 weeks. In the next visit, the permanent veneer is bonded in place.

Crowns
Crowns are a rigid and strong cap that restores the tooth to its natural function and anatomic contours, as well as protects the underlying tooth. In certain conditions, where veneers are not possible, crowns are a suitable option. Some of the scenarios in which crowns may be used include tooth fractures, large restorations, functionally compromised teeth, history of root canal therapy, and acute damage due to decay. There are a wide range of choices available in crowns and bridges.

Dental crown procedures take just two appointments, depending on the condition of your teeth and gums. First, the tooth is prepared for reduction and an impression is taken for fabrication. A temporary, plastic crown in fitted while the mould is being fabricated. In the next visit, the temporary crown is removed and the final crown is secured permanently into position. The fabrication procedure may take time depending on the type of crown.

Monash Dental Group is an expert in crowns and veneers, delivering matchless quality and desired results. The key benefits are:

  • Extensive protection and support to the compromised or damaged teeth
  • Natural and aesthetically enhanced appearance
  • Restoration of full functions and a confident smile

Contact the professionals at Monash Dental Group for more details on porcelain veneers and crowns. We guarantee excellent quality and fantastic results in a cost-effective manner.