A Guide to Straighten Your Kid’s Teeth at Home

Good oral habits in child help in the proper development of jaw and teeth. A child’s jaw and tongue function influence their teeth. Therefore, good oral habits could help to prevent the need for braces.

Let’s understand how to correct the child’s oral habits at home-

• Establish nasal breathing

Clean your child’s nose regularly to prevent and manage nasal congestion.

• Wipe the nose area with a warm cloth
• Use a small amount of warm saline
• Practice simple breath holding exercises

If a child has a chronic blocked sinus, check they are getting enough vitamin D.

• Develop tongue posture

Encourage the tongue to sit against the roof of the mouth. Ask the child to-

• Open the mouth wide and hold it open for a time
• Pop the tongue
• Trace the roof of the mouth

• Train closed lip posture

To keep the lips in a closed position, balance the facial muscles. Lip stretches give the lips range of motion to close comfortably at rest.

• Pull the upper lip down over the front teeth
• Pull the lower lip up above the top teeth

• Assist in breastfeeding, eating and chewing

Hard solid food should be introduced in the child’s daily diet after 6 months of age. Make them eat some raw vegetable such as small carrot or piece of celery. Cut the food into chewable sized pieces.

Gum chewing exercises helps in the growth of the jaw.

• Improve sleep, speech and function

Posture

• Practise your child to maintain a straight back with head back and shoulders level.
• Always remind them to sit up straight.
• Ask them to speak clearly and slowly.

Speech

• Deep humming for 2 minutes can improve the control
• Practice vowel pronunciation

Spot the signs to prevent braces in your child

Good facial habits set a multidisciplinary approach to kid’s teeth. This approach will work alongside with an airway, sleep focused dentist, speech therapist, etc. Make your child do a few exercises and this will help in keeping teeth straighten.