5 Tips That Can Help Ensure Healthy Smiles For Teens

5 Tips That Can Help Ensure Healthy Smiles For Teens

The active, always-on-the-go nature of teenagers can cause them to forget or neglect certain important habits, such as good oral hygiene practices. They will tend to eat and drink unhealthy, sugary foods and beverages, as well as forget to floss and brush. When they have poor oral hygiene, they can develop dental problems which could include tooth decay, teeth discoloration or stains, bad breath, gum disease, dental erosion, and even premature tooth loss.

As a parent, you can still help your youngsters maintain a healthy and lovely smile. By working with and supporting them, you can ensure that they sport healthy smiles for teens. 

Here are some ideas for making sure your teenagers have a beautiful and healthy smile throughout this stage and even beyond:

• Provide healthy snacks for your kids.

Teenagers love chocolates, chips, carbonated drinks, and other tasty but unhealthy foods and beverages. However, when they frequently eat and drink sugary foods and acidic beverages, their teeth will undergo an acid attack. This process happens when the sugar reacts with the bacteria in plaque and produces harmful acids. This causes dental erosion which can lead to dentine exposure, teeth discoloration, and sensitivity.

To help teens avoid these dental problems, stock up only on healthy snacks such as fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, cheese, yogurt, rice cakes, and plain, slightly salted popcorn. For beverages, encourage them to drink more water and milk. You can also give them naturally sweetened tea (using honey or agave) since tea contains fluoride and is good for their teeth. 

• Keep a good supply of dental care products.

Your teens will rely on you for their dental care supplies. As such, regularly check the condition of their toothbrushes and make sure you have a stock of new ones. Make sure they always have toothpaste and floss they can use as well. You can help ensure your teenagers are brushing and flossing regularly if they have the right supplies. 

• Remind your kids to regularly practice good dental habits.

Sometimes, even if your kids have the tools they need to take care of their teeth, they will still need a gentle reminder or push. Simply asking them to brush their teeth before they go to bed can help them maintain a healthy and lovely smile, even if they may find this annoying.

• Give your teenagers mouthguards.

Most teenagers today are active in sports. As such, they are at risk of getting injuries including mouth or dental trauma. Although teenagers may find wearing a mouthguard inconvenient, it will still give them the protection they need.  Make sure your kids’ teeth are properly protected from sports-related injuries by getting them mouthguards and always encourage them to wear this whenever they are playing.

• Schedule regular dental checkups.

Lastly, accompany your teen during scheduled dental visits. If they don’t want your company, make sure that they do show up for their appointment. It is important that they see their pediatric dentist at least twice a year so that any dental issues they have can be treated properly and prevented from ballooning into more serious problems. Schedule your totally rad appointment with us today!