Back To Basics: Teenage Smile Care

Posted February 13, 2019

If you have spent any time at all feeling challenged, overwhelmed, or frazzled in regard to your teenager’s smile care, we remind you: This is very normal! When they were little bitty, you brushed for them. Then, you brushed and flossed with them. Then, your kids became a bit more independent and you could work with them based on an incentive system that worked quite well! However, when the age of teenage-dom hits, things change. Your kiddos have lots of ideas about everything, including dental care. You have lots of worries about their oral health! The result? You just might need to hit the reset button and get back to basics with our Dallas, TX team’s reminders, so you can remember: It’s all about focusing on the essentials!

Day To Day Care

Your kids might not really want to brush and floss. You may marvel at the fact that if you never said anything, one of your teens may skip brushing for a week! Whether you have kids who are on-board with dental hygiene or those that aren’t loving the idea of it these days, our team reminds you: Strip away the emotional stuff and focus on the primary goal at the heart of the matter! Your teens, just like when they were little and just like we would suggest for the adults in the house, need to brush twice a day. They need to floss once a day. That’s all you need to consider as you guide your lovely children toward smile care!

Long-Term Care

Again, just like you’ve always done for your children, you’re going to continue providing them with professional dental care in the form of dental checkups and cleanings twice a year. When you keep up with the details, you offer your almost-grown-ups-but-not-quite with the additional protection they need to maintain clean grins, as they avoid all sorts of unpleasant problems like tooth decay and gum disease.

Making It More Enjoyable

Teenagers are usually quite focused on being treated like grown-ups, so don’t miss this important and very basic detail. Remember to get your teens a bit more involved, so they feel more in charge of their dental care. Bring them to the store to choose any brush and floss and toothpaste they wish. You may even send older teens to the store to do the dental hygiene shopping for the family or have them help you choose a time and date for their visits. (Of course, remember as well that during visits, we will be happy to offer you backup support by explaining directly to your teens what they need to be doing!).

Bring Teens In For Smile Care

Remember that our pediatric dental care practice will continue seeing your kiddos until they are 18 years of age! So, bring your children in for their smile care consistently throughout teen years for ongoing oral health. Schedule a visit with your Dallas, TX children’s dentist, Dr. Marr at Pediatric Dental Care at Casa Linda by calling 214-321-4880. We proudly welcome patients from Dallas, TX, and all surrounding communities, including Casa Linda, Lakewood, Lake Highlands, Forest Hills, East Dallas, Mesquite, Garland, Richardson, and more.