We have seen a lot of children grow up in our practice , and it is not uncommon for a child who has always been compliant with tooth brushing to suddenly rebel in their teenage years. Although you are not brushing their teeth for them like you did when they are little, parents still play a critical part in making sure their child is taking care of their teeth. Here are some great tips.
It’s important for your teens to see their dentist twice a year!
Be a detective. Is their toothbrush wet? Is their toothpaste being used? Is there used floss? If you think they are scamming you, call them out on it and look at their teeth. Do they smell clean? If their floss smells bad, that is because they are not properly cleaning and flossing their teeth.
Keep talking to them about healthy eating habits. Once kids are independently mobile, monitoring what they eat and drink can be a challenge. But keep the conversation going with them, and discourage them from eating high sugar snacks and drinking high sugar and acidic drinks.
It is so important to have your teen see us twice a year for a professional cleaning and exam. We can spot developing problems and talk to your child about their habits. Sometimes hearing this from someone other than their parents can be very beneficial.
Bigger kids can mean bigger challenges. Stay persistent and continue to monitor them. They may look like they don’t need you involved but they do more than ever.
