If you are a teenager or the parent of a teenager, this post from St. Mary’s Dental Care in Mechanicsville MD is for you.
At St. Mary’s Dental, we see cavities and gum disease in teenagers far too often. Possible causes and complicating factors 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, some get lax about brushing and flossing. In addition, 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 young people, presumably without their parents’ knowledge.
Malocclusion can make proper brushing and flossing problematic, 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 sees a clicking sound in the jaw joint, call us to schedule an exam.
In spite of numerous public service campaigns to prevent teen smoking, many teenagers take up the habit even before they graduate from high school. Smoking wrecks teeth as surely as it wrecks lungs.
One of the teen dental issues that impacts most young men and women is wisdom teeth. It’s best to start monitoring your teen’s wisdom teeth early so they can be treated before they lead to troubles with the jaw or surrounding teeth.
At St. Mary’s Dental in Mechanicsville MD, we provide general and family dentistry to patients of all ages. We understand that teenagers often need a little extra attention. Make an appointment with us today.
Contact St. Mary’s Dental:
301-884-3248
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
28169 Old Village Rd
Mechanicsville, Maryland
20659
