Families For Life | Teeth Issues for Teenagers: 12-18 Years

Teeth-grinding

Occasional teeth-grinding or clenching that is not causing your child any problems does not need treatment. However, if teeth-grinding keeps going, it can lead to headaches, tooth pain, jaw pain or your child’s teeth wearing down. If you notice your child doing it often, it is important to get advice from your dentist.

Your dentist might give your child some tips on how to reduce teeth-grinding or recommend an appliance your child can wear at night to protect their teeth from grinding.

Orthodontics

When the teeth and jaw do not line up properly, it can cause problems including gum damage, abnormal tooth wear and speech problems. Teenagers whose teeth and jaws do not line up might also have trouble getting their teeth clean.

If you are concerned about the way your child’s teeth and jaw line up, it isa good idea to see your dentist. Your dentist might recommend that your child sees an orthodontist for treatment to bring their teeth and jaw in line with each other.

If your child has braces or other orthodontic appliances, it is important for your child to brush their teeth well. They should also use waxed dental floss or an interdental brush to clean between their teeth.

Knocking out an adult tooth and other teeth injuries

Injuries to your child’s face and teeth can happen when they are playing sport, skateboarding, riding bikes and so on. It is important to see a dentist or General Practitioner if your child damages their teeth or face, especially if a tooth is bumped, broken or moved out of its usual position.

If your child knocks out an adult tooth, there are a few things you and your child can do that might stop your child from losing the tooth permanently:

Find the tooth.
Hold the tooth by the top (‘crown’), not the roots.
If the tooth is dirty, rinse it in milk or saline (salt and water) solution for a few seconds. Do not rinse the tooth with water.
Do not let the tooth dry out.
Put the tooth back in its socket immediately.
Hold the tooth in place with aluminium foil. If you do not have any aluminium foil handy, your child can bite down gently on a clean cloth – for example, a handkerchief.
Take your child to the dentist or a hospital emergency department immediately. Time is critical.

If for some reason you cannot replace the tooth in its socket – for example, if your child is unconscious or distressed – put the tooth in milk or saline solution or wrap it in plastic cling film and see your dentist or go to an emergency department immediately.

If your child chips or fractures a tooth, keep the piece of tooth and store it in milk. See your dentist immediately.

Mouth guards

If your child plays sport, check the sport’s rules and recommendations about mouth guards. In many junior sports with a high risk of face contact or head injury, wearing a mouth guard or other protective equipment is compulsory.

There are 3 types of mouth guards:

ready-made
‘boil and bite’, which mould around your child’s teeth and jawbone
customised, which are made by a dental professional.

Customised mouth guards are the most comfortable and provide the best protection because they are made specially to fit your child’s teeth and jaws.

When choosing a mouth guard, look for one that:

is thick enough (4 mm) to provide protection against impact
fits snugly and is comfortable
is odourless and tasteless
allows normal breathing and swallowing
allows normal speech.

Here is what your child should do to keep the mouth guard clean and in good shape:

Rinse the mouth guard before each use and brush it with a non-abrasive toothpaste afterwards.
Clean it once in a while in soapy water, making sure to rinse it thoroughly.
Carry the mouth guard in a container that has vents.
Avoid leaving the mouth guard in the sun or in hot water.

Take the mouth guard to your child’s dental visits to make sure it still fits correctly. Your child might need a new mouth guard when changes happen in their mouth – for example, when adult teeth come through.

Mouth guards need to be worn during sports training sessions and match play if there is any risk of your child getting a knock or falling.