Oral health should always be a priority. When children reach the adolescent stage, oral hygiene practices should be reinforced by their parents or guardians. Poor oral hygiene during adolescence is one of the main causes of tooth decay and other serious oral problems in adulthood. Every child should be familiar with regular dental visits and consistent oral hygiene routines. It is essential for their future oral health and well-being. Here are some ways to protect adolescent teeth.
Mouth Guards
Mouth guards protect the teeth from physical damage during sports, other physically demanding activities and even from teeth grinding. Children who grind their teeth often start around the age of two to eleven years old. Teeth grinding is sometimes caused by hunger, a poor diet or picky eating habits. Either way, every adolescent should have a mouth guard in case they are ever involved in demanding physical activities or have a tooth grinding habit. Mouth guards are a great way to prevent accidents from affecting the teeth.
Regular Hygiene Services
Regular hygiene services are crucial for every adolescent. Dental visits are a way to encourage them to maintain their oral health. A person’s oral health can still be compromised despite healthy oral hygiene for many reasons. There will always be a necessity for a professional to be a part of their life. If problems start to arise such as tartar growth or tooth decay, visiting the dentist regularly will expose these problems early and combat them before they ever become serious. Sometimes the human eye can’t detect that there is a problem growing. Places like the Franklin Dental Centre provide hygiene services that prevent tartar, periodontal disease and other conditions that can plague someone who is unaware that it is happening. Regular hygiene services and general care from a professional dental practice will always help the patient maintain healthy gums and teeth.
Teas
There are teas that help prevent the bacteria that causes plaque from surviving in the mouth. Licorice tea and green tea are the main teas that work to kill that bacteria. In order for plaque to form, the bacteria has to be alive in the mouth for a certain amount of time. Plaque is actually a barrier the bacteria builds to keep it from being flushed from the mouth. Teas with licorice and black seed annihilate the bacteria, making it hard for much plaque to form.
Food Choices
Food choices affect oral health tremendously. Foods that are highly acidic weaken the tooth enamel. Adolescents are known to reach for junk food, especially if they have more independence. For example, if they no longer have a parent or guardian packing their lunch or taking them to school, they most likely decide what to eat during the day. If they were not raised eating healthy foods, there is a higher chance they will turn to unhealthy snacks when they are not supervised. Poor food choices will not protect the teeth from oral troubles. An adult should supervise what their adolescent eats every day.
Even if there is no way to control what the child eats when they are away from sight, teaching them to brush and floss more consistently is a way to make them aware of what’s stuck in their teeth. Flossing also exposes the bad odor that old food has when it is stuck in between the teeth for a few hours.
Oral health should be taken seriously. Adolescents only learn from the adults around them. The adults are responsible for instilling healthy practices and familiarizing the children with the concept of having professional attention and advice consistently. These habits will ensure a better future for the adolescent. They will be able to pass the knowledge and healthy habits down to their offspring, and it would be a good cycle if parents and guardians can start to apply these habits now.
Earnest Parenting: help for parents wanting their teens to Brush Their Teeth!
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