Addressing Adolescent Oral Health

The adolescent age is a very crucial time in the dental health world. This is because it contributes pretty significantly to laying the foundation of a person’s general oral health for the rest of their lives. Indeed, the dental habits you exhibit when you are young, especially during your adolescent years, will play a significant role in determining how healthy your teeth will be as you grow older.
For instance, if you overeat sugar or you do not brush and floss your teeth when you are younger, your dental health might become shaky when you grow older.

On the other hand, caring for your teeth adequately in your adolescent years will help you maintain better dental health as you grow. This is one of the reasons most dental health professionals like Dr. Oza-Chughtai advise that high levels of attention should be paid to a person’s dental health and care in their adolescent age. Luckily this article will discuss some essential things to know about your dental health as an adolescent. Read on to discover more.

Even though routine teeth brushing and flossing is essential for good oral health at this age, it is often rarely enough to cater to all the young person’s dental health needs. This is mainly because people mostly pick up some new habits – like smoking, drinking, bad dieting, etc. – that are usually not very good for their oral health. Consequently, they are often exposed to some dental issues, which will be discussed below.

Common Dental Issues Adolescents Face

- Cavities: tooth cavity is one of the rampant dental issues that kids of adolescent age face, and the experience can be very dreadful for both the child and its parents or guardian. It is estimated that about 20% of kids today are prone to encounter tooth decay in their adolescent age, mainly because they often exhibit some characters or habits that are dangerous to their dental health at this stage in life. If not promptly and adequately treated, cavities can lead to more serious dental issues like pain, infections, and tooth loss.

- Misaligned or Crowded Teeth: this is another common dental issue that children of the adolescent age face. It involves the teeth growing or forming in a misaligned or crooked manner. This is often because there isn’t enough room or too much room in the mouth for the teeth to grow. When a kid’s teeth are misaligned, it could have severe effects on their confidence and self-worth. Moreover, it could cause the teeth to wear down prematurely.

- Gum Disease: gum diseases are often categorized into two types, including periodontitis and gingivitis. It is caused by the build-up of plaque at the teeth’ base. The disease can cause the gum to swell and bleed. Gum diseases are caused mainly by poor oral hygiene among adolescents. For instance, failure to brush and floss your teeth regularly can cause plaque to build at the teeth’ base and lead to more complicated issues.

How to Ensure Adequate Dental Health for Adolescents

It has been established that inadequate care for the teeth, especially during adolescence, can lead to many fatal consequences. This means that everyone must pay utmost concern to their oral health, especially at this stage in their life. Here are some tips that will help you ensure adequate dental health for yourself or adolescent relatives.

Cultivating a Healthy Eating and Drinking Habit

Understandably, kids are often tempted to cultivate unhealthy eating habits during their adolescent age. But then, these bad habits are one of the significant factors that lead to dental health issues among young people. This means that if you care for your oral health, you have to deliberate about what you eat and how you eat them at this stage of your life. Do not take things that will be harmful to your mouth.

Clean Your Teeth Regularly

This is one of the most common dental care tips you can find around today. However, it is not overrated, and its importance can not be overemphasized. You must ensure to brush your teeth twice daily (in the morning and at night) with fluoride-based toothpaste if you wish to maintain healthy teeth. Do not forget to floss regularly too.

Use a Mouth Guard When Playing

Injuries to your teeth at a young age can be pretty disastrous. So it would be best if you tried to minimize the risk of getting injured in your mouth during playtime. You can do this by using a mouthguard.

See a Dentist

Cleaning your teeth regularly and cultivating good eating habits are never enough for dental health care. You must book appointments and see your dentist regularly for check-ups and treatments when necessary, especially during younger ages.