Your smile needs extra protection to make it through the teen years. People often get the last of their adult teeth during their teenage years, but regrettably, some of the teeth may not grow in properly, or there might not be enough space left, causing overcrowding and other spacing issues. Compounding the problem, teenagers often find themselves at overwhelming odds battling peer pressure and a crowd of situations that can destroy their smiles.
Listed below are some oral health dangers to the smiles of teenagers:
– It is possible for wisdom teeth to grow in erroneously and lead to a variety of oral ailments, such as tooth decay, infection, malocclusions, and jaw pain.
– Contact sports are one of the biggest components of oral injuries in teens, so always be sure to wear the appropriate safety gear.
– Smoking or chewing tobacco can destroy a teenager’s smile, and cause tooth discoloration, gum disease, and oral cancer.
– Mouth jewelry is a serious risk to the mouths of teens due in large part to the fact that they are so popular, and thus, many teens feel the need to get mouth jewelry, including lip and tongue rings. However, these objects are often sharp and hard, and can easily injure your teeth and gums, resulting in infections, bleeding, inflammation, choking hazards, and infectious diseases such as endocarditis and hepatitis.
– Teens are easily tempted by the allure of drugs from their peers, but most drugs can cause irreversible tooth loss and gum disease.
If you would like to set up an appointment with Dr. Tom Tetrick at our dentist office in Lincoln, Nebraska, please call us at 402-423-1100. Our team at Pine Ridge Dental looks forward to keeping your oral health in pris-“teen” condition.
