Once a child’s permanent teeth have erupted, you might think that you can now care for them as you would for an adult’s teeth. Unfortunately, this is not the case, because the hormonal changes that come with puberty often show up in the gums and the tooth-supporting tissues. Many children of this age also have diet and hygiene problems.
Children often wear orthodontic appliances, which also make oral hygiene more difficult.
In this age group we ask patients to visit us at least once every nine months. We check oral hygiene and the condition of the teeth. Many young people today no longer get classic cavities; instead, the tooth tissue becomes thinner beneath the enamel. Shadows appear in the teeth, and with timely treatment, larger fractures and damage can be avoided. This type of decay is probably related to diet and stress. As life is stressful – school, training, lack of time, fast food grabbed on the go – the body starts using the teeth as a reservoir of the minerals needed by the heart and nervous system. In other words, it takes calcium and other minerals from the teeth. Toothpastes with a strong remineralising effect also play a role: they keep the tooth surface strong while caries still develops inside the tooth. Such problems are treated together with the family doctor.
We explain a lot to young people about whitening toothpastes and the important differences in their abrasiveness, about whitening gels, and about how to get whiter teeth without causing irreversible damage to the tooth enamel.
For children under 19, dental care at our clinic is FREE!
