As babies start to crawl and explore, they meet many obstacles. Through the active years of childhood and adolescence, these obstacles may become more prevalent, and injuries causing damage to the teeth, bone, gums, cheeks, and lips are common. The most likely cause of dental injuries in kids are falls and tripping over objects. For young kids, playing near coffee tables or fireplaces, running at the swimming pool, and wearing socks on a slippery floor are activities that often cause falls and dental injuries. And anyone who plays contact sports without the protection of a mouthguard also risks severe dental injury; a tooth may be knocked out, moved, broken.
Throughout your pregnancy, you eat the right foods, drink plenty of fluids, rest, and try to keep stress to a minimum. You might think once your baby arrives that you can relax your self-care regimen but caring for yourself should remain a top priority to ensure the health of you and your baby.
Don’t be so quick to pull your kids out of the water just because the temperature has fallen outside. “I’m a big proponent of year-round swimming, at least until it becomes like riding a bike,” says Coach Ruthie Zarren, a certified swim instructor, water safety educator, and owner of Little Fishes Swim School. “Being in the water and swimming safely should be second nature for every child,” she says.
A common question parents ask dentists is, “Why do I need to fix my baby’s teeth when they are going to fall out anyway?” There are many reasons dentists fix baby teeth, all of which are important to a child’s current and future health.
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