Category: Teen Teeth

The Three Threats to Teen Teeth

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Growing a healthy, adult smile takes a lot of work and maintenance, but your teenager can earn a healthy mouth by avoiding some the greatest threats to teen teeth.  

1 – Cavities 

Cavities are the most prevalent disease affecting children and teens in the United States, but cavities are nearly 100% preventable. Your teen can fight cavities by avoiding eating and drinking too much sugar, adding high fiber fruits and vegetables to their diet, and brushing twice per day for two minutes at a time and flossing once per day.  In addition to a proper oral care routine, your teen should have an oral health checkup every six months in our office so that we can help them navigate growing a healthy, adult smile. 

2 – Sports Injuries 

The CDC estimates that more than 3 million teeth are knocked out at youth sporting events. Mouth guards – sometimes called mouth protectors – work by helping cushion a blow to the face, and minimizing the risk of breaking teeth, or lacerating a lip, tongue or cheek. Mouth guards work to prevent tooth loss and other facial injuries.

Without a mouth guard, young athletes are susceptible to jaw damage, lacerated lips and tongue, broken teeth, and even concussions. If your child is playing any contact sport, then buy them a mouth guard that will provide adequate protection for their sport. If you’re unsure, just check online too see if their sport requires – or even suggests – using a mouth guard to prevent an injury.  

3 – Tobacco and Nicotine 

90% of adult smokers began smoking as teens, and each day more than 3,200 Americans younger than 18 try their first cigarette. Tobacco use harms teeth and health in many ways. It can lead to oral cancer, periodontal disease, delayed healing after oral procedure, bad breath, stained teeth and gums and damage the ability to smell and taste. The health risks related to tobacco use are serious, and negative oral side effects are chilling. Unfortunately, teen use of e-cigarettes and nicotine vaporizers is on the rise, and they’re also terrible for teeth.

Most studies find that teens that are actively discouraged from smoking, or that live in an environment where smoking is not normalized, are less likely to use tobacco as an adult, so encourage your children to stay away from all nicotine and tobacco products.

Visit Our Office 

Call us today to schedule an appointment so that we can evaluate the state of your children’s teeth, and help them reach healthier smile this year.

Children and Starbucks – What Should Parents Do?

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Starbucks is one of the most popular spots for young adults to gather and hang out, and enjoy coffee with friends.  But, a lot of the drinks on Starbucks’ menu are terrible for teeth. So, what should parents do?

The Problem: Way Too Much Sugar 

Sugar feeds the harmful bacteria on teeth, and creates acid that erodes enamel. This causes plaque and ultimately cavities, which is why you should limit the number of sugary foods and drinks your child consumes. Unfortunately, most of your kid’s favorite drinks from Starbucks are absolutely LOADED with sugar.

The American Heart Association recommends children limit their daily sugar intake to less than 26 grams per day, and adults should have less than 36 grams per day. Unfortunately, most of the items on Starbucks’ menu far exceed 30 grams of sugar – even if the drink is a “small” (tall) on the menu.

What about the Kids Menu? 

Starbucks has a kid’s menu that features drinks with less sugar and caffeine than their other beverages. But, don’t be fooled: each drink contains at least 25 grams of sugar, and the steamed apple juice has a whopping 50 grams of sugar. If you choose to get your child a beverage from Starbucks, go with a hot, decaffeinated tea and a little bit of honey.

The Worst Offenders:

1 – ANY Frappuccino 

One of the most popular drinks aimed at kids, Frappuccinos are absolutely loaded with sugar, each of which contains AT LEAST 50 grams of sugar per drink. Frappuccinos come in a variety of flavors, but each of them contains far more sugar than your child needs to consume in one day.

2 – Iced White Chocolate Mocha 

Another iced drink, the Iced White Chocolate Mocha contains 54 grams of sugar per drink, which is far too much sugar for one drink to contain. That’s because white chocolate is made with vanilla, and sweetened with sugar when it’s processed. 

3 – Cinnamon Dolce Crème 

Here’s an item from the kid’s menu that is terrible for teeth. The Cinnamon Dolce Crème doesn’t have caffeine, but it is loaded with sugar at 28 grams of sugar in a tall drink, and 37 grams in a grande.

Make Starbucks a Special Treat 

It can be easier for parents to justify getting a black cup of coffee everyday from Starbucks, but most of the drinks intended for children are loaded with sugar, and should be seen more like milkshakes and less like coffee. Since their favorite drinks are like milkshakes, then treat them that way and limit the number of drinks they purchase from Starbucks to once per week. If your child regularly enjoys beverages that are loaded with sugar, then they are more susceptible to cavities and their overall health can suffer.  

Don’t Let Your Child Use Their Teeth as Tools

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Did you know that you can crack or fracture your teeth if you use them improperly? In fact, cracked and fractured teeth are the third leading cause of tooth loss. If your child decides to use their teeth for anything other than eating, then they face an increased risk of damaging their teeth and facing costly dental repairs. You can help your child avert these risks by teaching them that teeth are not tools.

Don’t let Them Use Their Teeth to: 

Cut Anything other than Food 

It is very tempting to use teeth to open a bag, tear tape or cut a piece of string, but teeth aren’t scissors. When you try to cut something other than food with teeth, they are exposed to harder surfaces that aren’t found in food. Additionally, the pressure needed to cut some of these objects is far greater than the amount needed to chew. This places unnecessary stress on teeth, and can cause them to crack or fracture, which results in a painful dental emergency that needs to be treated ASAP by a dental professional.

Hold Things

It is really easy (and incredibly tempting) to use teeth as an extra set of hands to carry that last item up the stairs or from the car, but teeth aren’t hands and they aren’t meant to hold things. Holding items in teeth is particularly dangerous, because one can easily trip and fall and sustain serious oral and facial injuries. Tell your child that they need to be patient, and protect their teeth and face from unnecessary harm caused by using their mouth to carry things.

Crack Nuts


Nuts are delicious, but a lot come encased in a hard shell that could be cracked by teeth, but teeth are absolutely NOT meant to crack nuts. Trying to crack open a nut with teeth often leaves teeth fractured or cracked, rather than the nut. Tell your kids to stay away from nuts that have the shells on them, or teach them how to use a metal nutcracker. 

Open Bottles


There’s not many glass bottles that contain child-appropriate drinks as it is, but if your child likes mineral water or cola from a glass bottle, then teach them that a bottle MUST NEVER be opened with teeth. This is one of the worst, most traumatic things one can do to their own teeth and will likely cause a cracked tooth. Additionally, the hard metal surface can scrape enamel away from teeth, and leave them more susceptible to cavities. If your child must have a drink from a glass bottle, just go ahead and open it for them. 

Teeth are Made for Chewing Food – and That’s it

The bottom line in all of this is that are not indestructible, and really only designed to process food. If you allow your child, or if you decide yourself to use your teeth as tools, then you are exposing teeth to unnecessary harm that could cause painful, and expensive consequences. Teach your child that the only things they should use their teeth for are chewing, and smiling, and stress to them that teeth are not Swiss Army knives.  

Oral Piercings Can Harm more than just Appliances

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Piercings are a trendy way for teenagers to fit in with their friends and express themselves. Teens can pierce just about any part of their body, but it can be particularly concerning when your child gets an oral piercing. Tongue, lip and cheek piercings can damage teeth, gums and cause infections that can lead to more serious illnesses.  

Piercings can Damage Oral Appliances

Oral piercings are popular among teenagers, and are surprisingly common. Surveys of adolescents and young adults (age 13 – 29) report that 25% to 35% have a body piercing at a site other than the ear lobe. Oral piercings are mostly made of metal, and they can do real damage to oral appliances like braces or retainers. An oral piercing of any sort can dislodge wires, break brackets and get caught in an appliance, which can lead to bleeding.  

The bottom line is this: if your child has an oral appliance, we advise they stay away from any oral piercing until it is removed. 

Oral Piercings can Lead to: 

Nerve Damage

If your child gets their tongue pierced, they may get minor nerve damage. Simple nerve damage to the tongue will make their tongue feel numb for a few hours after the piercing. Sometimes, the numbness can last much longer and require an appointment with a doctor or dentist. Nerve damage can even affect their sense of taste.  

Infection, Pain and Swelling

Mouths are full of millions of types of bacteria, and by exposing an open wound like an oral piercing to bacteria can lead to infection and pain. If not treated, an infection can spread and cause major illnesses down the road.   

Chipped Teeth

Hard metal oral piercings often clack against nearby teeth, and can cause serious damage. It is common for those with oral piercings to play with their piercing by moving it around with their tongue or clicking it against their teeth. This can cause them to chip, scratch or lose their teeth. Oral piercings can also damage dental filling and sealants.  

If Your Child has an Oral Piercing: 

Keep it Sanitized

To lower their risk of infection, have your child clean their oral piercing once per day. Make sure that before they clean it, they thoroughly wash their hands to avoid introducing any germs into their mouth. Unclean piercings can collect food debris and begin to smell, and taste awful.  

Remove It Before Physical Activity

If they play sports make sure that they remove their piercing before hitting the field or court. Dental injuries are one of the most common injury in youth sports, and they can lower their risk of losing teeth by removing the metal clacking around in their mouth before participating.  

Does Your Child Have an Oral Piercing?

The dangers presented by oral piercings far outweigh the fashionable benefits. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry strongly opposes the practice of oral piercings. Speak with your children about the potential risks involved with oral piercings before they get one. If your child already has an oral piercing, make sure that they keep it clean and disinfected, and that they take it out before taking part in any sports or activities that involve contact, so that they can avoid suffering a serious oral injury. 

If your child has prolonged bleeding or pain related to their oral piercing, then make an appointment with our office immediately. They may have an infection, and it must be treated by a pediatric dentist. 

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