Growing up is something that all kids have to do and all parents have to watch. The best part is watching who your little spawn will grow up to be and how they tackle life. One of the challenges teens face as they get older is different types of dental emergencies and expenses. The amount of dental work teens have to endure depends on many different things from lifestyle choices to dental hygiene decisions. Here are just a few things you may want to discuss with your teen and their dental professional.

Teens can be very self conscious about their appearance and their smile says a lot about who they are as a person. If your teen happens to have crooked teeth it may be time to start thinking about braces. Many times the kids dentist will be able to inform you if the teeth can be adjusted on their own when molars move around and wisdom teeth are removed. If that is the case you may not need to have braces for your child. If you do happen to have a child that needs braces to ensure them that they are not all that bad. They can pick the colors if they get basic metal braces or you can spend a bit more for some clear braces that work just as well. Whichever you choose your child will thank you later when they have perfectly straight teeth. Great dental hygiene can be an amazing habit to pass on to your child for their future.

Cavities and discoloration of teeth can be a very unsightly problem as well. Nobody wants to open their mouth and have brown spots or yellow stained teeth. Your smile makes a lasting impression so do everything you can to take good care of it. Your dentist can quickly and easily fix small cavities for your child before they turn into big gaping holes or an abscess. By taking care of small cavities and maintaining healthy dental hygiene you are saving your child a lot of pain and embarrassment in the future if they require an extraction. Stains can be easily removed as well by a whitening regimen your family dentist can perform in the office. Whitening is simple and can create a huge difference in anyone’s smile.

Try to explain to your child the importance of good dental hygiene and what they can do to help keep their teeth healthy. Energy drinks are a tooth killer, Rockstar, Monster and, Redbull eat away twice as much enamel as sports drinks do. Teach them ways of boosting their energy naturally without these unhealthy sugar drinks. By simply brushing regularly, flossing everyday, eating a healthy diet and going for regular dental checkups they can keep all of their original grown up teeth through their entire lives.