Why Children With Dentures Bite Their Cheeks: And How To Fix The Problem

While dentures may seem like something that affects only older people, many children have to get dentures due to severe oral health problems. If your child has dentures and keeps biting their cheek, you need to make sure you manage this situation in a healthy way.

Uneven Dentures Can Cause Kids To Bite Their Cheeks

When children get dentures, it can take them awhile to get used to their presence. They often feel heavy or difficult to manage in the mouth of a child until they adjust. The child may also poorly understand the way they shift in the mouth and end up biting themselves on the cheek when they aren't careful.

These bites are often particularly painful because of the stronger nature of dentures. Unfortunately, they can also be a problem if the bite is deep enough to draw blood. In these instances, your child may be at risk of developing a serious infection in their cheeks and through the rest of their mouth.

These Bites Can Be Very Serious

If a child takes out a large bit of their cheek flesh with a bite from their dentures, they are exposing the interior of their mouth to a variety of bacterial problems. If bacteria spreads through their mouth in this way, there is a good chance that they could develop a serious infection.

An infection like this can not only cause dental decay but also spread to other parts of the mouth and the head. As it spreads, it can lead to life-threatening diseases that are very easy to avoid if you carefully adjust your child's dentures to ensure they no longer bite their cheek.

Adjustment May Be Necessary

A child may need a few months to adjust to the demands of their dentures. This period will require teaching them how to avoid biting their mouth. New chewing methods may be necessary because they can keep a child's teeth away from the cheek of their flesh and provide them with a safer and healthier mouth.

However, you may also need to get the dentures adjusted by a professional. These adjustments are designed to take the teeth away from the side of your child's mouth. This step should be taken if your child has adjusted their bite but simply cannot stop gnashing the inside of their cheek.

As you can see, it is relatively easy for parents to avoid this problem if they help their child adjust to their new dentures. While it may take a few visits to get them to fit properly, this step is more than worth it because it will protect your children from serious harm.