Poor oral health has been linked with depression, anxiety, and chronic illness. These oral diseases are also more common in children who have poor oral hygiene habits. As a parent, it’s essential that you start monitoring your child’s oral health as early as possible. Here are five ways that poor oral health can affect a child’s well-being.
High Rates of School Absenteeism
Poor oral hygiene can lead to tooth decay, the number one cause of absences from school. In addition, children who have poor oral health often miss more than twice as many days of school every year than children with good oral hygiene. Good oral hygiene can also reduce the number of sick days your child misses school because it boosts their immune system function.
Increased Social Isolation
Bad breath can be embarrassing, and if other children realize your child has bad breath, they might start isolating them. This can affect their self-esteem, make them feel worse about themselves, and even affect their academic performance if they are too embarrassed to ask the teacher for help.
When it comes to socializing, teenagers are more concerned about their appearance than anything else. If your teen has bad breath or discolored teeth, they may be embarrassed by this and start avoiding being around other people. This means that your child will end up missing out on social gatherings, school dances, dates with friends, and more.
Digestive Problems
Believe it or not, poor oral health can also lead to digestive problems, and it’s even worse for kids whose digestive systems are just developing. When their teeth and gums aren’t taken care of properly, bacteria can travel from their mouth to other parts of their body. This bacteria can end up in the stomach and intestines, which can cause all sorts of problems like diarrhea, constipation, and even vomiting.
Weak teeth and gums can also affect how children chew their food. Improper chewing of food is one of the leading causes of digestive issues and will lead to a series of problems like bloating, constipation, and gas. Poor oral health can also lead to malnutrition in children because they cannot properly digest their food.
Poor Speech
When kids have poor oral health, it can also lead to problems with their speech. This isn’t just about being embarrassed because of how they talk either. The bacteria in your child’s mouth might cause them to lisp or slur words, which could affect how other people perceive them and make learning harder for them at school.
Poor Concentration
If your child has trouble concentrating in school, it might not just be because they’re lazy or uninterested. It could be because of the pain and inflammation in their mouth from poor oral health. This can make it hard for them to focus on anything other than their discomfort.
With all these potential problems arising from poor oral health, you can only keep your child safe by maintaining a regular dental checkup. It can be challenging to get a reliable dentist, but in Calgary, getting a dependable dentist in Calgary should be much easier. Get your child the dental help they need as early as possible so they can grow strong both in mind and health.
