Tips for Teens

The teenage years are an especially important time for your new adult teeth.
Brush twice a day with a soft brush thoroughly with flouride toothpaste and begin to floss once a day. This will help ensure you have a healthy mouth now and in the future.
This is a time when sugar can cause life-long problems. Be extra vigilant in avoidings sugary or acidic foods and drinks between meals.
If you have braces be extremely aware of your sugar intake and careful with your cleaning routine, as damage can occur behind and around braces which is very difficult to see until the braces are removed.
Sticky sweets and fizzy drinks are the most damaging.
Have your teeth checked regularly with your general dentist.
The best way to avoid fillings is
(i) avoid between meal sugar
(ii) careful brushing and flossing
(iii) regular dentist visits to ensure all is well.
Acid erosion is an increasing problem in teens. It can be associated with fruit juices and fizzy drinks including diet drinks.
Remember diet drinks contain no sugar but high levels of acid which can erode or dissolve your tooth enamel over time.
Do not brush your teeth after fruit juice or diet/fizzy drinks as the enamel is now soft and the brushing will damage the enamel. A flouride mouthwash may help reharden the enamel.
Fresh breath is especially important with a busy teenage social life! Brush and floss regularly and speak with your dentist if you are worried. Don’t suck mints to hide the problem asthey are very high in sugar and will cause decay/bad teeth.
Sugarfree gum can help keep your mouth healthy.
A bottle of water and packet of popcorn is a good alternative to sugary snacks when out and about with friends.
Tongue/lip piercings are best avoided as they can damage and chip teeth, or cause gums to recede leading to a loose tooth.
Nowadays more teens are ‘filling free’. If you make it through your teens without cavities you will probably have excellent teeth for life. Making small changes now will help you achieve this goal.
If you play a contact sport be sure to wear a sportsguard. A professional custom guard from your dentist will give better protection and a better fit than an ‘off the shelf’ alternative. However the worst option is no protection.

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Dundrum Dental Surgery
12 Main Street
Dundrum
Dublin 14

Tel: 01 2986029
E-mail: info@dundrumdentalsurgery.ie

We are situated on the Main Street of Dundrum Village, directly opposite Lidl, and situated between AIB and Carroll's opticians. Most of our patients find it most convenient to park in the Dundrum Village Centre Carpark directly opposite our practice.

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