Teenagers and Dental Health
Do you have a teenager in your life that you care for? If the answer is yes, then give yourself a pat on the back because you are dealing with one of the most difficult age brackets in a young person’s life. While every age has its unique challenges, teenagers begin to test the waters of adulthood and the boundaries. As we were all teenagers at one point, we can relate to the challenges of dealing with the first crush, mood swings, and finding your own identity. Along with all of these changes, teenagers are also now caring for their own hygiene, including their oral health. We want to share some helpful tips to ensure that your teen is properly managing their dental habits. Continue reading to learn more.
Managing Your Teen’s Dental Habits
From the time children are babies, they are learning about the importance of dental health. Between what they learn at home and at school, most children have a good understanding of brushing twice a day, using floss, and limiting sugary treats. That is, until they become teenagers. When teenagers begin to test the waters of adulthood, many times school assignments, activities, and friends take over the forefront of their concerns and other things, such as their oral health, move to the back burner. During the teenage years is when most adolescents begin to get the majority of their adult teeth, so we wanted to share some tips and red flags to look out for to ensure that your teens continue having good oral hygiene.
Introduce Good Habits Early
We know that not every patient reading this will have a teenager, but it’s possible that you know someone who does, or one day you might. Starting good dental habits of brushing and flossing properly at a young age is a benefit that will be carried through the rest of your loved one’s life.
Sugar Cravings
When teenagers are growing and requiring a higher caloric intake, many times they crave foods that are higher in sugar content. It doesn’t help that when a parental figure is not around they are free to indulge in soda, candy, and other sugary treats. To combat this, be sure to have plenty of healthy snacks on hand that they can grab when they are in the comfort of their own home.
Regular Dental Checkups
We know that life can get pretty hectic for teenagers today. They have endless responsibilities between school, friends, sports, work, and their homelife, and oftentimes medical appointments are not the priority. Especially when teenagers have braces, visiting the dentist can get overlooked if they attend a different office for orthodontic treatment. Remember that everyone needs to visit the dentist every six months for an examination, even when wearing braces and dealing with a difficult schedule.
If you, your teen, or another loved one has not visited our office located in Burton, MI recently for a hygiene examination, we encourage you to call today to schedule an appointment. Be sure to notify our office of any concerns that you might have. We look forward to seeing you and your family soon!
