Teens
Wisdom teeth
One dental problem that occurs frequently involves the improper development of wisdom teeth, particularly impacted wisdom teeth. We generally take a panoramic x ray around age fifteen or sixteen to evaluate wisdom teeth development, and monitor any problems closely.
We do advise parents that if there are problems that cause us to advise extraction of the wisdom teeth, you do so before your teenager goes away to college. It is much easier to extract a wisdom tooth in a young adult, and doing so can prevent serious problems later on. Every year we get calls from frantic parents asking what to do when their college student develops a serious infection (called pericornitis) from impacted wisdom teeth.
Teen nutrition concerns
Watching the way teenagers attack food, it is hard for parents to believe they were once picky eaters. Even though they generally eat plenty of food, it is important to stock the house with nutritious yet good tasting food. Teenagers are going to get plenty of junk food on their own, so making sure good choices are available at home helps them balance out their diet.
There are many simple food choices that can help teenagers obtain a balanced diet. Try to find whole grain cereals that are acceptable to them both for breakfast and as snacks, and use 100% whole grain bread. Having a fruit basket on the kitchen counter with plenty of citrus fruit makes it easy to get vitamin C, and regularly putting out a plate of raw vegetables in the evening helps with many vitamins and minerals. (Some of the easiest choices include carrots, sliced peppers, and celery sticks.) Canned soup (especially soups with tomatoes or other vegetables) and frozen microwavable burritos are also really nutritious choices.
The trick is to provide enough of a variety of good foods to satisfy their appetites so that there isn't such a craving for junk. Remember that the grocery store is where nutrition decisions are made - if high sugar or high fat foods aren't brought into the house in the first place, you don't have to worry about the kids getting in to it. And of course, if junk food isn't available for the kids, it isn't there to tempt the adults in the household either.
Eating Disorders
Bulimia involving vomiting can cause serious dental problems of erosion to the teeth. We check for signs of this disorder at the dental office, and parents may want to be alert to this at home. While we can restore the teeth harmed by the disorder, any case should be handled with medical and psychological care to get at the root of the problem.
Piercings
Tongue or lip piercings can cause infections and must be carefully watched. Unlike ear piercings the lip and tongue piercings penetrate highly vascular connective tissues that are prone to deep infections. Trauma to teeth is also a frequent occurrence if the patient habitually taps the stud against the teeth. We advise against this practice, but if you are going to have oral piercings, please watch carefully for signs of infection and come to the dental office immediately if you notice any problems.
Juvenile Periodontal Disease
While periodontal, or gum, disease is usually considered an adult problem, it can develop in teenagers and if it does it is very serious. This usually happens when there is a family history of the disease, although both stress and smoking by a teenager can aggravate a periodontal condition.
To help prevent this condition from developing, make sure your teenager has floss readily accessible even at school, and make sure you set a good example by flossing yourself. Also make sure you do not let your teenager slip by with less frequent dental visits, because the juvenile type of periodontal disease can cause destruction rapidly. If your child develops red, bleeding, puffy gums, you should make a dental appointment right away for evaluation.
