Oral Care for Teenagers

Hygiene & Diet

• Keep your mouth free of tooth decay and gum disease by removing plaque that builds up on the teeth. Smile Makers can teach you the right techniques of brushing and flossing — essential skills to help you keep your teeth for life
• Limit sugary or starchy foods, especially sticky snacks. Fizzy, sweetened drinks are especially high in both sugar and acids that cause minerals to be lost from the tooth surface
• Visit the dentist regularly for professional cleanings and checkups.

Straightening Teeth (Orthodontics)

Everyone loves to have straight teeth and attractive smiles. Apart from appearance, teeth that are crooked are difficult to clean. In some cases, teeth that do not fit together correctly can suffer from the forces of biting and may lead to gum problems or shifting of the jaw. Puberty and teenage are often the best times to correct misaligned or crooked teeth. Straightened teeth can last a lifetime.

Through an orthodontic consultation, we can evaluate your problem and explain the details of the treatment required.

Wisdom Teeth

Being a teenager means expecting the wisdom teeth or third molars to start growing out in the mouth. If these teeth do not have enough space to grow into alignment, they may get jammed (impacted). Such teeth may then give problems like infection or tooth decay. If your wisdom teeth are likely to be jammed, it may be wise to remove them early and avoid problems. At Nuffield Dental, we can take radiographs (X-rays) to help determine the position of your wisdom teeth. If the position of the wisdom tooth is likely to cause problems, we can arrange to have the tooth removed. Click here to find out about whether your wisdom tooth needs to be removed.

Mouth Guards

If you play sports, like hockey or roller-blading, it is prudent to protect your smile with mouth guards . These are soft, rubbery devices customised to fit over your teeth and prevent broken teeth, chips or injuries to the lips.

Smoking

If you don’t smoke, don’t start! Though some may think it cool or sophisticated, the truth is that smoking…

• stains your teeth
• causes bad breath
• makes you likely to have gum disease
• increases your risk of developing cancer

Oral Piercing

Piercing your tongue or lips as a “fashion statement” or as “self-expression” can lead to infection, or damage your gums and teeth. Infection can occur when the “oral jewellery” get dirty, or get loose and embedded in the tissues. The constant rubbing of the metal studs against the gums and teeth can cause the gums to recede (pull away from the teeth); or chip or crack the teeth.