Teenagers
Do you need Sedation Dentistry?
Teens today are on-the-go. Whether they’re busy with school, friends, a job, or after school activities, a young adult may feel like they don’t have enough time to dedicate to their teeth. Thanks to this quick guide created specifically for a teens concerns, they’ll realize how easy it is to take care of their smiles! The topics in this section include:
Preventing Cavities
- Good oral hygiene removes bacteria and the left over food particles that combine to create cavities.
- Teens should brush their teeth at least twice a day.
- Watch the number of snacks containing sugar that you give your children.
- Routine visits will start your child on a lifetime of good dental health.
- Sealants or home fluoride treatments may be recommended.
Good Diet = Healthy Teeth
- Healthy eating habits lead to healthy teeth.
- Like the rest of the body, the teeth, bones and the soft tissues of the mouth need a well-balanced diet.
- Teens should eat a variety of foods from the five major food groups.
- Most snacks that children eat can lead to cavity formation. The more frequently a child snacks, the greater the chances for tooth decay.
- How long food remains in the mouth also plays a role.
Mouth Guards
- Needed when a child begins to participate in recreational activities and organized sports because injuries can occur.
- An important piece of athletic gear that can help protect your child’s smile, and should be used during any activity that could result in a blow to the face or mouth.
- Mouth guards help prevent broken teeth and injuries to the lips, tongue, face or jaw.
- A properly fitted mouth guard will stay in place while your child is wearing it, making it easy for them to talk and breathe.
Tongue Piercing
You might not be surprised anymore to see people with pierced tongues, lips or cheeks, but you might be surprised to know just how dangerous these piercings can be.- Risk involved with oral piercings includes chipped or cracked teeth, blood clots, or blood poisoning.
- Your mouth contains millions of bacteria, and infection is a common complication of an oral piercing.
- Your tongue could swell large enough to close off your airway!
- Common symptoms after piercing include pain, swelling, infection, an increased flow of saliva and injuries to gum tissue.
- Difficult-to-control bleeding or nerve damage can result if a blood vessel or nerve bundle is in the path of the needle.
- The American Dental Association recommends give your mouth a break – skip the mouth jewelry.
Tobacco
- Tobacco in any form can jeopardize your child’s health and cause incurable damage.
- Teach your child about the dangers of tobacco.
- Smokeless tobacco, also called spit, chew or snuff, is often used by teens who believe that it is a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes. This is an unfortunate misconception.
- Studies show that spit tobacco may be more addictive than smoking cigarettes and may be more difficult to quit.
- Teens who use it may be interested to know that one can of snuff per day delivers as much nicotine as 60 cigarettes. In as little as three to four months, smokeless tobacco use can cause periodontal disease and produce pre-cancerous lesions called leukoplakias.
- If your child is a tobacco user you should watch for the following that could be early signs of oral cancer :
- A sore that won’t heal
- White or red leathery patches on your lips, and on or under your tongue
- Pain, tenderness or numbness anywhere in the mouth or lips
- Difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving your jaw or tongue; or a change in the way your teeth fit together
Because the early signs of oral cancer usually are not painful, people often ignore them. If it’s not caught in the early stages, oral cancer can require extensive, sometimes disfiguring, surgery. Even worse, it can kill. Help your child avoid tobacco in any form. By doing so, they will avoid bringing cancer-causing chemicals in direct contact with their tongue, gums and cheek.