Dental health during teen years offers another set of challenges. For most parents, this doesn't come as a big surprise. A dizzying number of changes strike during these formative years, and parents often experience a few frustrations along the way.
But teens listen more than we realize, and pestering parents can make a tremendous difference in the dental future of these young adults. Oral home care habits tend to slide, sometimes to the point of complete neglect. Increased independence may lead to eating and drinking habits that harm oral and overall health. Don't underestimate any encouragement given to help your teen avoid the long-term effects of cavities and gum inflammation.
Preventive visits every six months provide us with an opportunity to coach your teen and reinforce the efforts you're making with them. Sometimes the rapport we establish in a professional, yet friendly, setting proves especially effective. Plus Dr. Rick Alvarez
can share problems with them through visual aids while reinforcing any positive efforts they're making.
At Simply Smiles Family Dental
in Republic, MO, we want to help your teen maintain optimal oral health. We are happy to answer any questions or provide additional educational materials to help your teen's smile last a lifetime.
Helping our youngest patients grow into healthy young adults is a highlight for our team. Children undergo constant growth and development that present special challenges for an optimal outcome. And childhood tooth decay can create a lifetime of problems often avoided with an early preventive plan.
Parents know that teen years present unique challenges. When it comes to dental health, rapid changes influence adolescents moving into adulthood. Cavity activity can suddenly accelerate with more independence in food and drink habits. Concurrently, oral hygiene activity sometimes becomes inconsistent. A good partnership with our team can set your teen up for a lifetime of benefits.
Sometimes dental problems follow otherwise healthy people through life. Understanding the causes behind dental disease can eliminate the frustration that builds as teeth deteriorate. Creating a customized preventive routine can leave you looking forward to the good news at your dental visits.
Deep crevices run across the chewing surface of molars. Even though a toothbrush can skim across these surfaces, the narrow grooves trap bacteria beyond the bristles. Cavities may form and end up abscessing without warning, destroying valuable tooth structure. Protecting the grooves with a bonded sealer might be worth exploring.
Metal grins fill the pages of many high school yearbooks. But braces offer benefits at many different stages of life. Identifying problems at an early age often allows ideal timing in orthodontic treatment, resulting in a perfect outcome. Monitoring growth and development at your child's regular preventive visits is just part of our commitment to your family's dental health.