“Soft Teeth”: Nature or Nurture?

We’re back with part two in our series from Dr. Dani and the team at Paschen Orthodontics in Baraboo! This time, they’re tackling a question many parents wonder about — are “soft teeth” something kids are born with, or does it have more to do with habits and environment?

Check out Dr. Dani’s insights in this article below.

Do Kids Inherit Soft Teeth?

Many parents are concerned that their children have inherited “soft teeth.”  Here’s some good news—If you are cavity prone or had cavities as a child, it doesn’t mean your child is doomed!  The structure of our teeth and jaws is certainly a reflection of genes inherited from both parents, but our susceptibility to disease, including cavities and gum disease, is also largely influenced by our environment. 

While teeth can have a weakened outer layer (enamel) due to genetic conditions, this is relatively uncommon.  More often, we find cavities present in an otherwise perfectly formed tooth.  Why does this happen?  There are a complex combination of factors at play, but three of the biggest players include: bacteria, hygiene, and diet.  You can’t control genetics, but you can set your child up for success by creating an environment that supports good oral health! 

 So what can you do?

1)     Let’s talk about… BACTERIA

How Cavity-Causing Bacteria Spread

Our mouths are home to both good and bad bacteria. This balance is fragile and susceptible to changes, particularly after the eruption of our first tooth and before age 3.   The most common cavity causing bacteria is often passed from caretaker to child through saliva, not strictly through genetic inheritance. Try these things to protect the balance of your child’s oral bacteria:

•  Avoid sharing your bad bacteria!  Sharing food, drinks, utensils, or toothbrushes can help bad bacteria colonize in your infant. 
• Avoid cleaning pacifiers with your own saliva.
• Educate and encourage other caretakers to do the same for your child.

2)     Let’s talk about…HYGIENE

Toothbrushing Tips for Babies and Toddlers

Get your child in the habit of brushing before they even have teeth!  Babies love to explore their world with their mouths as early as 3-4 months.  This is a critical milestone for their development!   

• I recommend introducing a toothbrush by 3 months of age. Incorporate brushing their gums into the morning and evening routine.  Think of it as “practice” before the teeth arrive!  
• Around 3-4 months old, babies are also able to grasp and hold objects.  Consider giving them a toothbrush to go with their rattles and teethers.  I like these for little hands: https://a.co/d/iY8kO9S
• When two teeth touch, you need to floss!  The first teeth that erupt are in the front.  Practice on these. It will make it easier to floss the back teeth once they come in. Floss picks like these can be helpful if you are having trouble with traditional floss: https://a.co/d/iOVynNn
• Imitating others is an important way that children learn and shape their behavior.  Make sure your child sees you brushing and flossing regularly.  It can also be helpful if they see their siblings doing this too!

 3) Let’s talk about…DIET

The Problem with Modern Snacks and Drinks

Our modern diet is more highly processed, includes more added sugars, and often requires less chewing than foods of the past.  Over time this has contributed to greater rates of dental decay (cavities), smaller jaws, and dental crowding!   My top 3 tips for toddlers in our world of modern nutrition are:

• Favor sliced fruits and vegetables over pouches, sweetened yogurt, smoothies, fruit snacks, or fruit juice!  These modern alternatives often have added sugars. Additionally, sugars in liquid form lead to higher rates of dental decay. Even in watered down forms, juice and smoothies are still problematic for little teeth!  While whole fruits and vegetables still have sugar, they require kiddos to CHEW which will help the jaws develop appropriately and promote saliva flow for cleansing of the teeth.
• Hydrate with water! This can help cleanse the surfaces of the teeth throughout the day.  Hydration alternatives like juice, sparkling water, and sports drinks generally have added sugars or citric acid which can promote cavities.   
• Check your kiddos teeth after they snack– cracker crumbs, raisins, and granola bars often get stuck in the chewing surfaces.  All of these have sugars or carbohydrates that bacteria can feed off of to promote decay.  

About Dr. Dani

Dr. Dani is a General Dentist who loves orthodontics and helping kids thrive. She trained at the University of Iowa and now practices at Paschen Orthodontics in Baraboo.

If you enjoyed this piece from Dr. Dani and the team at Paschen Orthodontics, don’t miss our first article, to learn more about her and the friendly faces behind the practice.

Stay tuned — there’s one more article coming soon in this series, packed with more tips to help your kids build healthy, confident smiles!

You can find Paschen Orthodontics online here and at 880 14th St, Baraboo, WI 53913.