Dental Advice for Teens

What are the effects of smoking, taking drugs or drinking alcohol on oral health?

Smoking may cause tooth stains, tooth loss and gum disease. It causes bad breath as well.

Drinking alcohol is one of the causes of mouth cancer. People who both smoke and drink are more prone to risk. Also, alcohol increases the likelihood of tooth decay and erosion. A number of alcoholic drinks contain lots of sugar and there may be acids in some mixed drinks. Therefore, those who drink them in large quantities can develop tooth decay or dental erosion.

Taking prohibited drugs can result to different health issues. Smoking cannabis and tobacco can have the same effects. There are drugs that can bring about a dry mouth and make users more prone to bad breath, tooth decay, erosion and gum disease. Drug can also cause them to grind their teeth that leads to headaches, among other problems. A lot of drugs make people crave for sugar including sweets and frothy drinks that can cause tooth decay.

Cervical cancer is caused primarily by the human papillomavirus or HPV, which has an effect on skin lining the body’s moist areas (like the mouth). It can be transmitted by means of oral sex. It is best to practice safe sex and limit the number of sexual partners to help reduce the possibility of acquiring HPV.

The HPV vaccine is being offered to teenage girls to prevent the virus from spreading. They can consult anyone in the medical practice, their parents or guardians to get more information regarding this.

The family dentist can ask their patients about their lifestyle as well as general health since these can have an effect on their mouth health.

How do their teeth look?

There are people who are not happy with the way their teeth look so they refrain from smiling in photos and social events. Fortunately, teeth can be treated to address any issues.

How can a smile be improved?

Teeth can be straightened or moved by an orthodontic appliance or “brace” to improve the way they look and function. It is best to improve the overall health of teeth, gums plus jaw joints by extending the biting pressure all over the teeth.

Braces are available in different types and an orthodontist or dental team can suggest the one that best suits a patient.

It is natural for people to want whiter teeth. Though there are home whitening kits in the market, only those above 18 are allowed to buy these so it is better to have teeth whitened by a professional like a dentist.

How long will it take to wear a brace?

This actually depends on the severity of a dental problem, which might be as early as a few months or as late as two and a half years. Some people, though, wear braces for only one to two years.

How does tooth jewellery look like?

Tooth jewellery is the small jewels fastened into the teeth with the help of dental cement. The dentist should be the one to stick them and also remove them whenever needed.

When wearing tooth jewellery, the area around this should be kept clean to prevent plague from developing around it, which could lead to tooth decay.