Your Smile

Proper oral hygiene care is very important for teens. Keeping teeth and gums clean and healthy now will help prevent tooth decay and gum disease in the future. Here are a few dental health tips for teens:

1. Always use fluoride toothpaste and brush your teeth at least twice a day -- and do not forget to brush your tongue. This helps to fight bad breath.
   
   
2. Use dental floss daily to remove plaque from between your teeth.
   
   
3. Be careful with tongue rings. They can cause infection, nerve damage, chip or crack your teeth, and cause your tongue to swell large enough to close off your airway.
   
   
4. Drink lots of water and limit soft drinks. If you must have a soda, drink it through a straw to prevent discoloration of the front teeth.
   
   
5. Do not whiten your teeth until the age of 14. At this time the pulp is fully formed and the tooth will be less sensitive to the peroxide.