Most teens lead very busy and active lives. Their hectic schedules and increasing independence often makes them indifferent towards their oral health. Many give little importance to daily dental care and a lot of kids often take regular dental visits too lightly. As a result, many teenagers don’t get the dental care they need. This is why dental decay is the most common chronic disease in young people. Read the following dental care tips to get teeth that are sparkling and healthy:
Follow Healthy Habits
Snacking is becoming an integral part of our youngster’s busy schedule. Thus, it is important that youngsters should have access to healthy snacks such as apples and carrot sticks and low-fat cheese.Unhealthy snacking such as munching on energy bars etc.,can permanently damage oral and overall health. Also, it is a good idea to carrya travel-size toothbrush in the backpack to help keep up good teeth-cleaning habits by brushing after meals and snacks.Drinking water throughout the day can help cleanse the teeth of excess bacteria and food debris.Youngsters must make time for regular dentist visits. This is so that the dentist can help catch any minor problems before it becomes worse. Usually children of this age group forget to brush at night. Brushing at night is very important as the saliva which acts as a protective fluid of the mouth, reduces causing dryness of mouth and susceptibility to dental infections.
Eat Right
Everything youngsters eat affect their mouth. Too many carbohydrates, sugar such as cake, cookies, candies, milk, and other sugary foods and beverages and starches such as potato chips can cause tooth decay. It is important to educate youngsters to eat the right thing.
- Healthy snacking is vital. Fruits and vegetables that contain a high volume of water, such as pears, melons, celery, and cucumbers are best.
- Avoid sticky foods. Stay away from raisins, dried figs, granola bars, oatmeal or peanut butter cookies, caramel, honey, and everything else that sticks to teeth, making it difficult for saliva to wash the sugar away. Bushing after consuming these food stuffs is a must!
- Opt for sugar free options.
- Reduce food intake in-between meals – the time between meals allows saliva to wash away food particles that bacteria would otherwise feast on.
- Say no to sodas and juices.
- Include good sources of calcium in the diet to build strong teeth.
- Peer induced tobacco consumption & smoking are prevalent in today’s society. Parents should beware of their children falling into wrong habits as they are detrimental not only to the child’s oral health, but general health as well.
Stay Protected
Active youngsters are often prone to falls and injuries. It is recommended to regularly use mouth guards in a variety of sports activities.
Avoid Oral Piercings
What is trending may not necessarily be safe and healthy.Tongue piercing is one such no-no. People with tongue piercings chip their teeth on the jewellery while eating, sleeping, talking and chewing. The fracture can be confined to tooth enamel and require a filling, or it may go deeper, which can lead to a root canal or tooth extraction.Infections are also common with oral piercings. It has been documented that long standing oral piercings are susceptible to causing oral cancer.
Youngsters must adhere to the above dental care tips and use India’s best toothpaste-Babool, to have a trouble-free oral health.
Maintaining proper oral hygiene and using the right toothpaste plays a vital role in keeping dental problems away.
