As your children start to get older, especially when they become teenagers, they will experience bodily changes. While it’s easy to be aware of and help your children work through other pubescent developments, make sure that you don’t neglect their teeth. During teenage years, teeth change a lot and those changes can result in serious pain if not given proper attention.
Cavities
One of the main causes of oral pain for teens is getting cavities. According to MouthHealthy, cavities occur when bacteria have the chance to grow and eat away at the enamel of the tooth. Cavities are most common in-between teeth as a result of failure to floss. These cavities are also likely to form in the back teeth where food can easily build up, causing decay.
Helping your teens develop the habit of not only brushing every day but also flossing every day will help prevent cavities and prevent the pain that accompanies them.
Impacted Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth are the last teeth that grow into your mouth and they usually start to actually manifest themselves during teenage years. Generally speaking, having wisdom teeth removed is a good course of action if they cause pain or will result in crowding your other teeth in your mouth.
When you have impacted wisdom teeth, it may be a good idea to consider removing them. According to Stellar Kids Dentistry, your wisdom teeth may grow sideways, causing severe pain in your gums. When wisdom teeth grow sideways, they can also affect the roots and positioning of your other teeth, which can be highly problematic.
Gum Disease
According to Colgate, another common cause of tooth pain among teens is gum disease. Specifically, teens can suffer from periodontitis—a form of serious gum disease—that can damage the gums and the jaw. Periodontitis usually occurs as a result of poor oral hygiene, but the good news is that it can be resolved relatively easily if caught soon enough.
Usually, symptoms of tooth pain include red swollen gums, sore teeth, bad breath, and pain while chewing. This can be resolved relatively easily if oral habits like brushing twice a day and flossing are adopted regularly.
It may have felt easy to take care of your children’s teeth when they were younger—you could brush them yourself and their teeth were so new that they didn’t have major problems. But as your kids turn into teenagers, it’s essential that you help teens learn to develop their own good oral habits. Additionally, make sure you can take them to the dentist regularly to ensure that any oral pain is addressed.
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