Oral habit retraining & support
Oral habits like thumb-sucking, nail-biting, and tongue-thrusting are common in children. While some habits go away on their own, others may lead to serious dental issues if left unaddressed. At Junior Dental, we believe in providing comprehensive support to help children overcome oral habits and maintain a healthy smile. Here are some tips for oral habit retraining and support.
Steps to help children overcome oral habits
1. Understanding the habit
It’s essential to identify the reason behind a child’s oral habit, such as stress, boredom, or self-soothing. Understanding the cause allows us to address it with the right solution.
2. Encouraging positive reinforcement
Positive reinforcement works wonders in breaking oral habits. By using praise, rewards, and incentives, we motivate children to overcome their habits with encouragement rather than punishment.
3. Practicing patience
Breaking an oral habit takes time and persistence. Changes don’t happen overnight, and it typically takes 21 days to form a new behavior. Patience and ongoing support are key during this process.
4. Seeking professional help
When habits persist, professional assistance may be necessary. At Junior Dental, we offer custom solutions, like thumb-sucking appliances, and guide parents on supporting their child at home.
5. Creating a supportive environment
A positive, supportive environment is essential for overcoming oral habits. Parents, caregivers, and dental professionals must work together, providing motivation, reassurance, and guidance to help the child succeed.
It’s essential to identify the reason behind a child’s oral habit, such as stress, boredom, or self-soothing. Understanding the cause allows us to address it with the right solution.
2. Encouraging positive reinforcement
Positive reinforcement works wonders in breaking oral habits. By using praise, rewards, and incentives, we motivate children to overcome their habits with encouragement rather than punishment.
3. Practicing patience
Breaking an oral habit takes time and persistence. Changes don’t happen overnight, and it typically takes 21 days to form a new behavior. Patience and ongoing support are key during this process.
4. Seeking professional help
When habits persist, professional assistance may be necessary. At Junior Dental, we offer custom solutions, like thumb-sucking appliances, and guide parents on supporting their child at home.
5. Creating a supportive environment
A positive, supportive environment is essential for overcoming oral habits. Parents, caregivers, and dental professionals must work together, providing motivation, reassurance, and guidance to help the child succeed.
Oral habits can pose serious dental issues if left unaddressed. At Junior Dental, we believe in supporting children in overcoming oral habits and maintaining a healthy smile. With our tips and customized solutions, children can break the habit, one step at a time. Remember, our approach is focused on positive reinforcement, patience, and creating a supportive environment. We hope this article helps you and your child overcome oral habits successfully.
3 qualified doctors
At JuniorDental, our friendly, award winning pediatric dental team will ensure you and your child are well looked after
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Dr. Rafif Tayara
Co-founder & pediatric dentist
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Dr. Micheline Katramiz
Pediatric dentist
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Dr. Hiba Ansari
Pediatric dentist
Dr Rafif Tayara
Co-Founder & Pediatric dentis
Dr. Rafif Tayara the co-founder of JuniorDental. She's an award-winning pediatric dentist, an international speaker, a book author and a mum of three, with 16 years of experience in the field of Pediatric Dentistry and Early Orthodontics. She has practiced in both private clinics and hospital-based settings in North America, the Middle East, and GCC countries. Her recently published book aims to prepare preschool-aged children for their first dental visit, with a focus on preventing early childhood caries and eliminating dental phobia.
She offers functional and integrative oral health care and early corrective orthodontics with a focus on whole-body health and well-being of babies and children.
Dr. Tayara specializes in seeing children as young as one for their first dental visit, early prevention of oral childhood caries, and early correction of facial growth and malocclusions in children. She is also highly skilled in treating and managing special needs children and has played a significant role in raising oral health awareness in the Middle East and GCC region through various media channels and events. Dr. Tayara has been featured in several prominent media outlets and can be followed on social media for her day-to-day stories with patients.
You can find her on Instagram @doctortayara.
She offers functional and integrative oral health care and early corrective orthodontics with a focus on whole-body health and well-being of babies and children.
Dr. Tayara specializes in seeing children as young as one for their first dental visit, early prevention of oral childhood caries, and early correction of facial growth and malocclusions in children. She is also highly skilled in treating and managing special needs children and has played a significant role in raising oral health awareness in the Middle East and GCC region through various media channels and events. Dr. Tayara has been featured in several prominent media outlets and can be followed on social media for her day-to-day stories with patients.
You can find her on Instagram @doctortayara.
Dr. Micheline Katramiz
Pediatric dentist & Invisalign First provider
Meet Dr. Micheline Katramiz, our Specialist Pediatric Dentist at Junior Dental!
Dr. Micheline brings warmth, expertise, and a deep passion for children’s oral health. As a mom of two herself, she understands how to make every child feel safe, heard, and comfortable at the dentist.
She specializes in a full range of pediatric dental treatments including crowns, fillings, pulp therapy, laughing gaz, and general anesthesia (GA) for more complex cases. She is also a certified Invisalign First provider, offering early orthodontic solutions for growing smiles.
Dr. Micheline brings warmth, expertise, and a deep passion for children’s oral health. As a mom of two herself, she understands how to make every child feel safe, heard, and comfortable at the dentist.
She specializes in a full range of pediatric dental treatments including crowns, fillings, pulp therapy, laughing gaz, and general anesthesia (GA) for more complex cases. She is also a certified Invisalign First provider, offering early orthodontic solutions for growing smiles.
Dr. Hiba Ansari
Pediatric Dentist
With over a decade of dedicated experience in pediatric dentistry, Dr. Hiba Ansari is a trusted name in children's dental care. Having practiced across India, Kuwait, and Dubai, she brings a global perspective and compassionate approach to treating young patients—tailoring every visit to be a positive, safe, and reassuring experience for both children and their parents.
Dr. Ansari has built her career exclusively around children's oral health. She is also a respected speaker at dental conferences and educational platforms, sharing her expertise with fellow professionals worldwide.
Dr. Ansari is deeply committed to delivering high-quality dental care with empathy, patience, and a preventive mindset. She believes in partnering with parents to build a foundation of lifelong oral health for every child.
Dr. Ansari has built her career exclusively around children's oral health. She is also a respected speaker at dental conferences and educational platforms, sharing her expertise with fellow professionals worldwide.
Dr. Ansari is deeply committed to delivering high-quality dental care with empathy, patience, and a preventive mindset. She believes in partnering with parents to build a foundation of lifelong oral health for every child.
Frequently asked questions
Here are some of the most common questions asked by parents regarding their child's oral health
When should my child have their first dental visit?
How can I prevent cavities in my child’s teeth?
When should I start brushing my child’s teeth, and how much toothpaste should I use?
Does my child need dental X-rays, and are they safe?
Will my child need braces?
