Can you really blame Mum or Dad, Gran or Pa for your crooked smile? There are many arguments as to whether or not genetics play a part with a crooked smile. Many external factors attribute to crooked teeth, such as thumb sucking as a child.
However genetics can often be the culprit of our mouth issues. Your crooked teeth may not be from Dad, however things such as a smaller jaw from Mum or large sized teeth from Gran may attribute to you having a crowded mouth; resulting with crooked teeth. From the beginning your teeth are fighting for space.
If you see gaps between your baby’s teeth that’s okay – this means their teeth will be less likely to become crowded. Orthopaedic treatment is encouraged as it means we catch issues before it becomes more difficult to manage in the future. Orthopaedic treatment allows for management and monitoring of a child’s growth in their mouth and allow for planning of treatment.
Even though genetics is the true culprit, we can ensure to do some things to avoid further issues, such as:
- Avoid thumb sucking
- Breast feeding may help jaw align
- Eating right from the beginning – a good (natural) diet for your child
- Breathing habits – breathing through your nose is best
- Good oral hygiene – flossing
- Visit a dentist regularly and see an orthodontist at age 7
These are things that we can look out for and implement. For more information on how to avoid and treat crooked teeth please contact Norwest Orthodontics on 9672 6113.
