Dentistry: It's More Than Drilling and Filling

Children often express anxiety in many different ways, such as sucking on their lips. When they do this simple act, they are potentially damaging their oral health so severely that they may cause an overbite or other types of issues. As a result, it is important to talk to a pediatric dentist to manage this issue.

Lip Sucking Can Cause Pediatric Dental Concerns

Lip sucking is the act of pulling the lower lip up and holding it beneath the front teeth on the top of the mouth. The child then inhales heavily and puts a lot of pressure on their teeth that may cause them to come out of alignment. Remember that a child's teeth are still growing at this point, and pressure like this may easily impact their development. Sadly, there's a real risk of an overbite developing as a result.

And an overbite can be an emotionally difficult thing for many children to face. For example, they get may teased for their overbite or suffer from other issues that make it hard for them to be happy and healthy. And if this persistent overbite remains, it could cause other damage to their mouth that may spread and become increasingly persistent. Thankfully, a pediatric dentist can help.

How a Pediatric Dentist Can Help

Children who repeatedly suck their lip may need a trip to a pediatric dental clinic to figure out what is happening. Often, parents can take their child to a dentist to go through a discussion on the dangers of lip sucking. Children often respond to doctors better than they would their parents because they inherently trust medical authority figures and may learn how to stop sucking their lip by redirecting their energy.

Just as importantly, a pediatric dentist can figure out if this lip sucking has caused any dental damage in the child's mouth and take steps to manage them appropriately. For example, the dentist may find cavities, the early potential for an overbite, and other issues that may occur with lip sucking. Then, they can provide treatment for these issues to ensure that they don't worsen for a child over the years.

Critically, a pediatric dentist can continually check in on the child with the parent to see how they are doing with their lip sucking. If the problem remains persistent, the dentist may have to prepare for a potential overbite in this patient, which may need treatment later to properly manage.