Tooth decay is common among tweens and teens, fueled by the desire to eat every sugar and starchy food on the planet. Tweens and teens also don't seem to brush enough or as regularly as they should, figuring that once a day is just as good as twice a day. If the tween or teen has been fitted for braces then cleaning the teeth can actually be difficult, as well, increasing the risk for cavities.
Here are some helpful tips to keep tweens and teens on a twice daily brushing routine in order to effectively fight cavities. A fluoride toothpaste should used after every meal, but twice day is the preferred way to go about dental hygiene. Flossing or an inter-dental cleaner to take away plaque from the gum line and sides of the teeth, should also be a daily habit. Limit your tweens between meal snacks and make sure to visit the dentist on a regular basis. Encourage your kids to protect their teeth from decay by teaching them to use fluoride toothpaste.
Many cities add fluoride to the drinking water as a form of protection. If this is not the case where you live, then prescription tablets and liquids are available. Studies have shown that kids who get fluoride in their water and diet, or use fluoride containing toothpaste, have fewer cavities on average from kids who don't. And of course, the dentist can administer fluoride treatments during regularly scheduled check ups.
Impress upon your tweens and teens to tell you if they notice anything different inside their mouths when brushing. Gum disease is usually caused by plague that produces toxins to irritate the gums. Tell them to let you know immediately if they experience bad breath continually after brushing, an ongoing bad taste in their mouth, pus at the gum line, red or swollen and bleeding gums, receding gums, and loosening teeth that may move out of position. If one or any of these problems develop, they should be taken to the dentist immediately.
Busy tweens and teens are known for grabbing food on the run between school and after school activities. This is the time when bad dental habits form. Whenever possible keep the sugary, starchy and sticky foods to a minimum. Teach them to grab fruit, nuts, popcorn, or even a piece of cheese, rather than candy as a snack. And keep encouraging them to brush after every meal, regardless how small. If they can't brush then allow them to carry sugarless gum to chew to stimulate their saliva, which will wash their teeth of some plague.
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