Your Health

Oral health care for teens

Smiling teenage girl with braces sitting at a clinic with dentist standing behind her.
Image by tonodiaz on Freepik

Maintaining good oral health is of paramount importance in every stage of our life. Teenagers are often negligent in their oral health care leading to long term adverse effects not only on their dental wellness but also serious negative consequences on their overall physical and mental health.

Adolescence is a period where teenagers are busy with their school/college, general and social activities, squeezing all meaning out of the very idea of what is attention-worthy for their oral health. This unmindfully leads to the habit of eating fast food items, thus neglecting their gums and teeth and leading to several dental ailments in the future.

Here are some basic tips which teens can follow to keep their attractive and healthy smiles intact:

1. Brush twice a day with an ultra-soft toothbrush and pea-sized fluoridated toothpaste.

  • Aim to make an angle of 45 degrees towards the gumline.
  • Move the toothbrush in gentle circles.
  • Start with the top back teeth. Brush the outside surface of the teeth along the gumline, then the inner surface of teeth. Repeat the same with other teeth also.
  • Move to the bottom teeth and repeat the above step.
  • Brush along the chewing surface of teeth.
  • Do not forget to floss after brushing the teeth.
  • Gently brush the tongue.
  • Brush for around 2 minutes.

Discuss with your dentist what kind of toothbrush and toothpaste is best for you.

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Dr Riya Gupta is a Dental Surgeon and Certified Tobacco Cessation Specialist, practising in Lucknow. She is committed to providing personalized patient care through quality service and communication through leading newspapers and magazines.

Dr Riya Gupta

Dr Riya Gupta is a Dental Surgeon and Certified Tobacco Cessation Specialist, practising in Lucknow. She is committed to providing personalized patient care through quality service and communication through leading newspapers and magazines.