Oral Hygiene and Your Teenager

A Teenager will often feel self conscious about their appearance and any problems with their teeth will increase their worries. Talk to your teen about any concerns they may have and support them in finding solutions to their issues. A good dentist will understand that this can be a tricky time and will be on hand to reassure and offer help and support to keep your teen smiling.

Looking After Your Teenager’s Teeth From the Start

Build oral health care into your child's routine from the start by teaching your children to care for their teeth from babyhood and making twice daily brushing a part of their routine. This will set the foundations for a healthy mouth from the beginning and by demonstrating your own oral hygiene regime, you’ll be setting a good example too.

Your teenager can take control of his or her daily routine but you should ensure that they include time to care for their teeth properly as they may not have the foresight to understand the long-lasting impact of neglecting their teeth at this stage!

Teen Tooth Care Regime

Your teenager will need to make time to:

• Brush teeth in the morning and evening, for at least two minutes every time. An electric toothbrush can be the best way to make sure each surface of each tooth is cleaned properly.
  
  
• Learn to floss between teeth on a daily basis to remove trapped food and prevent bacteria building up between teeth.
  
  
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of vitamins and minerals to support healthy bones, including teeth, at this time of rapid growth. Eating well can also prevent sour smelling breath, a real teen turn-off!
  
  
• Get enough sleep! Sleep is vital to our bodies, especially when the brain and body are developing so fast. Teenagers should make sure they get a good amount of rest each night for overall health and for healthy teeth and skin.
  
  
• Learn how to manage stress. Teenagers may experience a great deal of stress due to exams or friendship or family problems. It's a great time to learn meditation or breathing techniques and this will help to prevent illnesses and symptoms caused by stress, including cold sores and gum disease.

Orthodontic Treatment For Your Teen

If your teenager has trouble with overcrowding or misaligned teeth, it's a good idea to consult the professionals early and explore the options available to them. An orthodontist will specialise in solving these sorts of problems and will work out the best way to give your teenager the perfect smile.

Visit Your Dentist in Cork

Getting to know your dentist and feeling familiar with him or her is the best way to keep your teenager's teeth sparkling. Having regular check ups and addressing any problems as you go will give your teen the confidence to seek help when it is needed and set the expectation that they can achieve strong, straight teeth that look great! Call Guiney Dental Clinic, local Dentist in Ballincollig, today on 021-481 0535.