Teen's Dentistry
Helping Master Their Personal Care
Dental health during teen years offers another set of challenges. For most parents, this doesn't come off as a big surprise. An enormous amount of changes strike during these formative years and parents often experience a few frustrations along the way.
Teens listen more than we may realize and pestering parents can make a tremendous difference in the dental outcomes of these young adults. At-home oral care tends to slide in these years, sometimes to the point of complete neglect. As your teen becomes more independent they may develop unhealthy eating and drinking habits that harm their oral health. Don't underestimate any encouragement given to help your teen avoid the long-term effects of cavities and gum inflammation.
Keep up on your teen's dental checkups!
Preventive visits every six months provide our staff with an opportunity to coach your teen on oral care and reinforce the efforts you're making with them. Sometimes teens may be annoyed with their parents telling them what to do. However, they may be more receptive when an individual not so close to home instructs them. Our friendly staff can educate your teen in a respectful and effective manner. We can also use visual aids to show your teen oral hygiene techniques and explain why any problems may be occurring.
Tips for home efforts that protect your teen's dental health:
Limit sodas and energy drinks. Sugary carbonated drinks are the number one cause of tooth decay in adolescents. Many 20 ounce bottles of soda contain 18 teaspoons of sugar in an extremely acidic liquid. The combination can be devastating for teeth. A good idea might be to measure out the sugar contents of your teen's favorite soda and visually show them how much sugar they are consuming.
Encourage brushing before bedtime. Night hours can be especially harmful as the mouth dries out and bacterial plaque flourishes. Nightly reminders may annoy your teen now, but they'll thank you later!
Explain the dangers of sharing toothbrushes. Teens love sharing everything, even toothbrushes. The bacteria that cause gum disease and cavities can easily transfer from one person to the next through this method.
Slip in dental floss or a toothpick with their lunch or backpack. Packing dental floss in your teen's lunchbox may serve as a reminder to clean up their teeth after lunch. Plus no one wants to see food stuck in their teeth after lunchtime.