Ah teens, gotta love them. Sometimes they’re hilarious, sometimes they can get under your skin — we were all there once, right? Trying to talk to your teenager about maintaining good habits may sometimes feel like an uphill battle. Teens have a lot going on all the time between school, social groups and their interests and pursuits, their minds are tied up in their priorities. Sometimes, that means oral care gets lost in the noise.
Here’s a short guide highlighting the best way to make these connections with your teenager to ensure proper oral care.
What you eat and drink influences oral care
Study sessions, basement hangouts, and lunch periods might mean binge eating junk food, candy and drinking soft drinks. It’s often inevitable even if you don’t keep these foods at home or if the school has a no-sugar policy. A diet high in acidic and sugary foods can promote bad bacteria that can lead to tooth decay and problems with the tooth’s enamel.
Another often overlooked culprit is dehydration. The salt, sugar and acidic components of these kinds of foods promote dehydration that can over time, result in a condition called dry mouth, an early sign of periodontitis (gum disease).
Other factors that can influence dry mouth include the consumption of antidepressants and certain medications, certain medical conditions like anemia, diabetes or cystic fibrosis and lifestyle choices like smoking.
What to do:
Encourage drinking water
Encourage your teen to replace juice and soft drinks with water and to drink lots of water if they still choose to have sugary snacks and drinks. The fluoride in the water combats acidic components that can turn into plaque.
Balance acidic and alkaline foods
If your teenager is going to be eating highly acidic and sugary foods, make sure their home diet is full of alkaline foods to balance out their acidic food intake.
Alkaline foods fall on a spectrum to include all types of green vegetables (spinach, asparagus, broccoli, kale), plant-based proteins, most nuts, certain fruits, and olive oil.
The goal should be to have a higher percentage of these foods in your teen’s diet to create a healthy alkaline environment in their bodies. This will boost their immune system, promote good muscle and bone health, support hormones, increases magnesium and Vitamin D intake and mitigate chronic inflammation and diseases that are linked to oral health.
Late nights and tooth brushing
Does your teenager like to stay up late? Many prefer to stay up late to study or unwind after a long day. The reason behind this is actually related to the hormones that are released during puberty. According to this article, pubertal hormones can shift the body’s clock, or circadian rhythms by 1-2 hours, enabling teenagers to stay up later. When teens stay up late, they may be inclined to snacking late at night and it can also influence their oral hygiene routine.
What you can do
There are many dental apps to help your teen remember to brush their teeth and to meet the proper requirements for oral care. Encourage your teen to look into smartphone apps that can remind them to brush and floss if it seems like they are forgetting to take care of their oral health.
This will be particularly important if your child has braces, is susceptible to tooth problems or even if they have oral piercings.
Oral Piercings
More than a quarter of adolescents and young adults (age 13-29) have a body piercing – a number of them on the lips, tongue or cheek. As a teenager, self-expression is valued but it’s important for parents to know how to navigate their teenager if they decide to get an oral piercing.
What to know:
Oral piercings are more susceptible to infection
If your teenager is planning on being pierced it’s important to know about metal allergies that can cause oral infections. Ensure that your teenager thoroughly cleans their piercing and maintains a proper oral care routine to reduce any chance of infection as well. The mouth is an area that is exposed to bacteria constantly – if bad bacteria gets into the piercing it can cause abnormal pain and swelling at the site, fever or redness. If this happens, do not wait to contact your dental professional or physician.
Oral piercings can damage teeth and gums
Many people have the tendency to chew or play with their oral piercing. This can have damaging effects on the teeth including causing cracks, chips, and broken fillings. Gums are also more susceptible to gingivitis and other infections without a proper oral routine. Warn your teenager on this habit to ensure that they are aware of its effects.
Dental care for your teen doesn’t have to be a topic that’s difficult to approach. With simple tools and strategies you can improve their oral health and overall well being.