Adolescent Oral Health: Tips from Your Dentist in Lone Tree

 adolescent dental issues

If you’re a teenager or the parent of one, this post is for you. Dental risks for Lone Tree teens include developmental and lifestyle factors, so seeing the dentist twice a year is essential.

At Almeida & Bell Cosmetic, Implant & Sedation Dentistry, we see cavities and gum disease in teenagers far too often. The reasons why include insufficient dental hygiene, unhealthy diet, malocclusion (misaligned bite), smoking, hormonal changes, tooth grinding, mouth breathing, eating disorders, and side effects of medications.

As children become more independent, they can get lax about brushing and flossing. Moreover, some teens’ diets become worse when they have more freedom to choose what to eat. Few parents let their four year-old drink an energy drink, but they are consumed frequently by many adolescents, often without their parents’ knowledge.

Malocclusion can make proper brushing and flossing difficult, leaving even vigilant brushers with decay from food particles that are almost impossible to remove. Malocclusion can also trigger TMD (temporomandibular disorder). If you suspect that your teen’s bite is not aligned properly, or if your teen experiences a clicking sound in the jaw joint, give us a call to schedule an exam.

In spite of numerous public service campaigns aimed at preventing smoking, too many teenagers take up the habit. Smoking wrecks teeth as surely as it wrecks lungs.

Puberty causes all sorts of changes in the body, and the mouth is no exception. Increased hormone levels (especially in females) can cause the body to react to a very small amount of plaque, triggering inflammation of gum tissue and increased risk of the more advanced form of gum disease known as periodontitis. Your dentist can counsel you if more frequent professional cleanings are necessary to preserve gum health.

If you visit any soccer field or basketball court in Colorado, you will see that many young athletes fail to protect their teeth. If your adolescent participates in a contact sport, meet with us about custom athletic mouthguards.

If you are looking for a general dentist for your family in the Lone Tree area, schedule an appointment with Almeida & Bell Cosmetic, Implant & Sedation Dentistry. We have been providing trusted dental care since 1977. Other services include cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening, and porcelain veneers.

Contact Almeida & Bell Cosmetic, Implant & Sedation Dentistry:

303-858-9000

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

8683 E Lincoln Ave Ste 200
Lone Tree, Colorado
80124