Helping the Youth with Dental Care

While going through your teenage years, it can feel like everything is changing, and your teeth are not an exception. Growing up usually comes with getting braces or teeth alignment of some kind, and it also means that more serious dental problems can occur if youth do not take care of their teeth.

Whether you are a parent or a teenager, it can feel like walking into the unknown when it comes to overall teeth care and health. Your teeth and mouth are important to you. They let you talk and eat, and your teeth make up your smile. You shouldn’t have to settle for an okay dentist or an okay orthodontist. You want and deserve the best for your smile and your teeth.

Here are 5 things to consider when talking about youth dental care:

Time for A Change

If you have been visiting a dentist who specializes in pediatrics, it may be time for a change. This could look like switching your teenager’s dental records to a dentist who sees adults or going to an orthodontist who has their own practice.

These dentists and medical professionals are able to watch out for certain conditions that do not arise in younger children or pediatric dental care. This allows serious gum conditions and tooth diseases to be caught and treated early.

Listen and Try to Understand

Insecurity is part of the human condition, but it is also something that is extremely common with many teens who visit a practice. They are genuinely concerned about their teeth and how they turn out. Having a great smile can improve their confidence and allows them to smile and be happy without having to worry about hiding their smile from others.

You may want to ignore or not listen to your youth’s concerns about how their smile looks or why they haven’t had their wisdom teeth taken out like their other friends, but take some time to talk to them and help calm them down when listening to them.

Get Educated About Their Options

Long gone are the days of having to wear huge headgear and walking around with a mouth full of metal for years. With new advancements in technology and orthodontic care, you can have a great smile without a pain of walking around with braces.

Many places, including Mount Pleasant Orthodontics, gives their patients several different options for teeth straightening so each patient can choose a plan that is customized to fit their needs. This gives your teenager the freedom of choosing what they want and lets them feel like they have some responsibility and control over their own smile.

Communicate with Your Youth

If you are a parent or even if you are a teenager in the situation, you will want to communicate and keep the conversation about oral health open. Talk to your teenager or parent about what you want for your child or yourself when it comes to oral health care. Talk to your teenager and let them know how important dental and oral health care is for their future.

In the situation, if you are a teenager, it may be time to sit down and talk with your parents. If you really want braces or teeth whitening, you can talk about it to your parents and show them that it is super important.

Be Patient

Whether you are the professional or the parent, you will want to have a little patience with all teen patients. They are younger than an adult, but they are not kids anymore, so it may feel like an odd in-between age.

You may have to remind them several times about why brushing their teeth is important or why braces might be a good option. With the right kind of communication and patience, you can make a positive impact in their life.

What are some things that you have done for oral health that have made a serious difference in your smile and overall health? Comment below to start the conversation!