Teen & Young Adults

By the teenage years, most of our patients have taken over their own dental health.  The primary, or baby teeth have in most cases, already all fallen out.  Orthodontics may be complete for some kids by this point, or for some cases, braces are just going on.  We take time in our appointments to guide this age group in their independent home care.  By this age, most teenagers have already developed the skills for taking care of their teeth, but some still need reminders!  We review the importance of brushing twice a day and flossing.  We try to instill these important techniques that will help them have a healthy smile and teeth that will last a lifetime.

We take special care to go over important dietary factors as well.  In many active teenage lifestyles, it is just easy to grab something quick to eat or drink, but healthy choices are important, as they are often making these choices on their own.  We counsel them on the importance of avoiding sugary drinks, including some sports, soda, and ice tea or lemonade.  We also review the dangers of tobacco use, and its impact on teeth.

Finally, as many of these teenagers and young adults are playing at a very competitive level of sports, we remind them of the importance of wearing a mouth guard to protect teeth from injuries.

As these patients, graduate off into the adult world after high school, we hope they are leaving with the education and good habits that will keep their teeth healthy for their entire life!