It is important as parents to teach our kids just how important it is to keep a good oral hygiene, and that goes for teenagers as well. During this stage, they might show too busy for everything, either with friends, games, hobbies, etc. So sometimes they absolutely forget about brushing and keeping good oral habits.

Teenagers and communication 

Dental health is an important part during these years, as so many things happen. There are braces in order to fix their bite and alignment of their teeth, the third molars (wisdom teeth) can become an issue so they have to be taken into account, and also there is the issue of bad breath. Communicating all of these changes to our little teenagers is essential, as it is not something that they are going through alone.

The sooner the better

There are a lot of adults that have had complications, which could have been easily avoided if they had a proper oral hygiene in their early days. Make sure that you convey the message to them, although teenagers are not fond of being bossed around.

Teach them the basics

It might not be obvious to teenagers how they should brush and floss, and how many times a day.

Los Algodones dentists recommend brushing at least two times a day, but that alone will not do. Make sure they are brushing correctly, hitting all the hard spots, as well as for at least 2 minutes. Any less than that might not have the desired effect on your teeth, as the components have hardly any time to react.

Also teaching them to floss once a day, as practice makes perfect. It is common for food and plaque to be stored in between the teeth, in places that the toothbrush has a hard time reaching. For this, make sure to show them (videos are valid, too) how to properly floss.

Last but not least, remember to take them to the dentist at least twice per year. At the office they will get X-rays and full checkups, which helps a LOT in seeing how their mouth develop.

A proper diet goes a long way

Sweets and snacks are fine, as long as the proper measures are taken as they are not good for their teeth. Teenagers may sometimes seem like they could live off junk food for an indefinite amount of time. As we know, a diet high in starch and sugars are the best way to get cavities and tooth decay.

To further develop this idea, the body needs all the nutrients it needs in order to develop correctly. For example, our gums start to recede if our diet is poor and lacking. Soda and candy are fine, but not in excessive amounts, if you notice that they are not eating properly, maybe asking them what they do not like and why would be a wise approach.

Make sure to warn them about bad substances

We are mostly referring to smoking and tobacco products here. This is always a difficult topic to approach, but it is for the good intentions. Smoking is a product that brings nothing but misfortune, it is a false gateway. They might want to look cool or try to calm down, but in the end they will suffer from stained teeth, canker sores, really bad breath, suffer changes in their taste buds, multiple cancers, as well as the receded gums that might lead to periodontal disease and ultimately tooth loss.

Support them

This might not be directly related to their oral health, but it is important to make mention. At this age, teenagers are not the most confident people in the planet, so complimenting them goes a long way. It will also help you get on their good side, which is always a good thing.