Put down that phone and brush your teeth! Or, How to Get Teenagers to Focus on Dental Health from Hawaii’s Best Adolescent and Pediatric Dentists
Pedodontic Associates Inc. has extensive experience in adolescent and pediatric dental care and offers the following tips to focus and practice optimal dental hygiene.
- Speak to their values
Appearance matters to teenagers. And a healthy smile is an attractive one! Regular dental care ensures a good smile. Healthy teeth look good.
- Make it easy
Keep new toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss available and handy. A lot of teenagers love to shop but dental supplies are not on the top of their lists.Toothbrushes should be replaced every 3-4 months.
- Use Food to Your Advantage
Teenagers spend more time on their own outside the home. Monitoring everything they eat isn’t possible. But you can control what they eat at home. Keep junk food and sugary drinks to a minimum. Good nutrition is essential to good dental health.
- Get mouthguards and use them
Most dental injuries in people under 30 are due to sports. Contact sports especially can injure still growing mouths. Pedodontic Associates Inc recommends that children and adolescents wear mouth guards to protect teeth and growing mouths while engaged in sports. Make sure your teenager wears a mouth guard.
- Consider orthodontics
More adults are wearing braces these days but orthodontics are still more common in teenagers. Pedodontic Associates Inc. knows growing facial muscles and bones and can explain the options to you and your teenager.
And most importantly,
- Schedule, and get to, regular check ups
Regular brushing and flossing are great to keep teeth and gums healthy. Keeping sugary foods and drinks to a minimum goes a long way to maintaining dental health. But just like medical check ups; regular visits to a pediatric or adolescent dentist are a must. While teenagers consider themselves to be “young adults” they are still kids and they want to be taken care of (whether they admit this or not). Schedule regular dental check ups for your teens. Email or text them reminders. Make sure they get to the appointment, whether with a parent, caregiver or friend.
Pedodontic Assoc. is staffed by 5 doctors who see patients in three locations, rotating between the offices from day to day to better serve your family. Our Oahu offices are at Pearlridge Center and at Kahala Mall. The Maui office is in Kahului. If your child has a dental emergency, the pediatric dentists working at your usual location will be happy to help your child.
Preserve, restore and maintain your children and teenages dental health. Call Pedodontic Associates Inc. in Maui and Oahu to schedule your teenager, or child’s visit. The dentists in each location will ensure that your child has a caring and comfortable experience.
Pearlridge Office98-1005 Moanalua Road, Suite 847
Ph: 808-487-7933
Maui OfficePh: 808-877-0066
Kahala Office4211 Waialae Avenue, Suite 405
Ph: 808-735-1733