Dental Health for Teens: How to Maintain Healthy and Hygienic Teeth

Teenage is the transition phase from the childhood to adulthood where lots of physical and hormonal changes occur in teens. Good oral health and hygiene are one of the important aspects for teens along with other physical and overall hygiene. Here needs to create awareness about the importance of dental health in teens and how to maintain good oral hygiene.

In the lack of regular dental care and negligence towards its hygiene causes gradual dental health deterioration which calls for many oral concerns which are not good for its health resulting in early teeth decay, cavity, sensitivity etc.

With regular dental care and hygienic activities such as two times brushing, flossing, gargling with mouth cleanser etc. teens can ensure their good teeth health and can easily maintain a good oral hygiene. So even if your child is in rush with his or her busy hectic schedule in the morning don’t let them skip their morning brush.

This can be done if you make them aware that how important is oral hygiene and in the lack of that they have to face severe dental health concern in their early stage of life. Good and necessary oral habits in the very early stage of childhood make them accustom with these oral care and they don’t have to face any oral concern in their teenage.

How Teenagers can Maintain Good Oral Hygiene

A bad oral hygiene among teens let them face several oral concerns such as bad breathe, facial appearance concern, third molars, and braces. Here parents can play an important role by actively making their children aware regarding cons or drawbacks of irregular dental care or negligence towards oral hygiene.

It’s quite obvious that when children reach their teenage stage their responsibility and burden increases with respect to study, hobbies, games etc. Out of their everyday busy schedule, they often miss their oral care thinking that it won’t affect much but problem arises when this negligence becomes their habit and they start avoiding brushing, flossing, and other dental care activities.

This situation can be handled if teens are very much aware of the importance of oral hygiene and its effect on their overall health. Below we have mentioned some important aspect that every teenage parent should make their children aware of. This way the teenager will understand the necessity of oral hygiene in their life and they will not miss any more hygienic oral activity.

Basic Oral Hygiene

Some basic oral hygiene should be maintained by each teenager as an essential part of their daily routine. Two times brushing in a whole day comes first in the list of basic oral hygiene. Everyday brush your teeth at least for three minutes before eating anything in the morning and before going to bed or after your dinner do your second time brushing to clean the remaining substance of food that you had in dinner.

Flossing is also essential and an effective way to maintain your oral hygiene. Everyday floss your teeth at least once to clean the food particles that often stuck in your teeth and gum lines.

Gargle your mouth with oral cleanser water available in a medical store to prevent bad odors and food particles from the cracks and jawlines in your mouth. This helps to kill the bacteria which can later cause severe dental health concern if not cleaned thoroughly from time to time.

Apply Teen Based Oral Products

Teenagers are the growing children who are in their transition phase to reach the adolescent stage. At this point in time, their taste and liking remain completely different and they always look for some attractive products whether it is related to their oral health or anything else.

So as a responsible parent you should bring only those oral product for your growing child which is not only tempting by taste and look but at the same time, it is rich with healthy content to ensure the complete dental care of teenagers.

There are toothpaste, mouth cleaner etc. which are mainly manufactured for the teenagers only considering their taste, expectation and dental health requirement. This will increase the interest of teenagers and they will never think to skip their oral hygiene activities.

Toothpaste with light flavors containing fluoride and attractive packaging easily attract teenagers, also it improves their dental health and its longevity. These products are very much appealing to look and taste so make teenagers enthusiastic for their regular oral hygiene works.

Self Confidence

A good oral habit is not only boosting your oral health but also improves your self-confidence. In the lack of timely brushing and other important oral hygiene work, the teenagers have to suffer from unhealthy oral concern that often affects to their self-confidence.

Teenagers are very much conscious about their look and appearance. Parents can make them aware that if they don’t follow oral hygiene on regular basis then it can hamper to their look and this way they can very easily encourage them for maintaining good oral health activities.

In the lack of two times brushing everyday teeth color starts getting loses its charm and beauty. Its color turns to yellow from white, bad breath concern origins, teeth decay happens etc. This awareness appeals the teens to use teeth whitening toothpaste and mouthwashes on regular basis.

Proper Care for Braces

Braces are one of the common dental wearings of teenagers for keeping the teeth aligned and filling the gap between teeth. This orthodontics tool helps to improve the appearance of teeth and also enhances to the dental health.

The braces boost the confidence of teenagers by aligning their misaligned teeth as they can confidently smile and demonstrate their beautiful teeth without shy but this important tool needs proper care otherwise it becomes a matter of unhealthy oral hygiene.

Yes, it is a fact that teeth wearing or braces are quite difficult to clean but if you will be aware of its proper technique to clean then you can easily take care of it. Clean your mouth with water by gargling two to three times as it will loosen the debris or stuck food in it. Then brush your gum side and below braces gently to clean them thoroughly.

Flossing is also essential for optimum oral hygiene especially when you wear dental braces. You can use waxed floss and orthodontic floss thread for safe and proper flossing of your teeth wearing braces.

Proper Cleaning of Oral Piercing

Oral piercing is one of the most favorable fashion trends that each teenager wants to wear for the stylish and attractive look. In general oral piercing is mostly done in the lips but it also possible in the tongue. A tongue piercing though improves your look but it requires proper care and cleansing otherwise it gives birth to bacteria resulting in mouth odor, discoloration issue etc.

When you have decided to wear tongue piercing then pull up your shocks for its necessary cleaning and its surrounding areas which are lips and teeth. Often tongue piercing causes problems while cleaning tongue and front teeth. In the lack of appropriate cleaning remaining food substances or debris in teeth causes plaque and sometimes the jewelry itself causes infection. Along with cleaning the surrounding areas of piercing the jewelry also requires to be cleaned thoroughly by removing it as food particles can easily be stuck in it resulting in bad breath and infection by spreading bacteria.

Role of Food in Oral Health

Foods that teenagers eat daily plays a major role in affecting their oral health as well as their oral hygiene. At this particular age attraction for junk foods, highly processed foods and beverages are common which are not only harmful to your internal health but for your oral health too.

Foods and drinks rich in acidic and sugar content are not good for oral health. It affects to the growth of teeth enamel resulting in early decay of teeth. Teenagers should avoid the consumption of starchy, sticky and crunchy foods as these get stuck between teeth very easily and doesn’t get cleaned easily by brushing and flossing. Also, these food particles get rotten in the mouth resulting in bad breath and other oral concerns.

For healthy oral health as well as good oral hygiene teenagers should eat green vegetables, fresh juicy fruits, whole grains, a lean protein which is a nutrient dense diet. Also, there are healthy beverages which help to clean teeth.

Avoid Smoking

As the children enter into their teens they want to explore every possible thing in the world, smoking is one of them. Smoking and tobacco chewing habit are one of the bad habits which affect drastically to oral health.

The biggest threatening of chewing tobacco, smoking cigarettes and cigar that it can develop oral cancer which is a critical health condition. So if you have yet started these bad habits then don’t ever think to start it even in near future. Smoking initially generates stains in teeth and in the long run it causes bad breath and other gum related diseases.

Those who smoke must let their dentist know about this habit to prevent major oral concerns associated with these bad habits. Also as early as possible should quit this health hazard habit to ensure healthy and hygienic oral health.

Use Mouth Guard & Protector

Teenagers who are a part of sports where chances of mouth fracture or attack on mouth area persist should always wear mouth guards whenever they enter on the playground. These mouth covers, in general, protects the lips and upper teeth to prevent lip cuts and teeth damages.

Especially teenagers who wear dental appliances in their teeth such as bridge, braces etc. on the lower jaw line needs some extra protection as mouth guard devices does not provide protection to lower teeth. They can wear a mouth protector to protect their lower teeth or jawline.

Go for Routine Checkups

Dental routine checkups are very important for maintaining dental care and it is essential for everyone whether it is children, teens, and adults. Routine checkups in every six months of interval help to confirm whether your teeth are in healthy condition or any issue is just started to begin.

When teenagers go for the routine checkup they can easily prevent the danger of teeth decay, cavities, and gum related issues as they initially get to know if any concern exists, through dental x-rays if dentist suspect for any oral diseases. Also, these routine checkups make you aware that you are following the right oral hygiene activities or not, and give necessary suggestions for dental health and oral hygiene if requires.

Consequences of Bad Oral Hygiene

Oral hygiene is important for every teenager to ensure healthy dental life and smile. Those who don’t follow regular hygiene activities end up with very negative consequences which not only affects their oral health but it is also harmful to the overall health. A bad oral hygiene can give birth to following dental concerns.

Impacted Teeth

It happens some time that a tooth couldn’t grow or develop fully causing pain in gums known as an impacted tooth. This type of erupt tooth becomes a common place for remaining food substances which takes place in it. The impacted teeth give birth to bacteria and may cause pus formation and infection. So it requires proper brushing and flossing to prevent any harmful oral condition.

Tooth Decay

Tooth decay happens in the lack of oral hygiene which is very common among teenagers. The problem arises when teeth decay reaches to gum level as it can cause infection also this infection can spread very fast through the bloodstream in the whole body.

Gingivitis

Dental plaque formation process causes gingivitis which is a bad oral health condition and can cause teeth decay and pain.

Dental Plaque

Dental plaque is an oral health condition in which sticky substance made its place over the teeth and with time it reaches up to the gum area. It is made up of bacteria, acid, and sugar. This requires to be treated as soon as it is detected without delay otherwise it can damage the affected teeth completely.

Bad Breath

Bad breath or mouth odor or mouth smell is a condition in which very bad smell comes out of the mouth of the affected person. This mainly happens due to irregular or improper oral hygiene causing bacteria in the mouth. This hampers the self-confidence when the affected person has to suffer from social boycott resulting in depression.

Effect on Overall Health

Long-Term oral concerns and oral infection affects badly to overall health and may develop serious health concerns such as heart problems, mental depression, pain in other body parts connected with oral blood streams etc.

We hope our readers have must understand now the importance of dental health in teens and negative consequences on the lack of proper oral hygiene. It is always better to apply preventive measures to avoid unwanted oral health hazards by maintaining good oral habit and hygiene.