Oral Hygiene Essay

Growing up most oral hygiene habits are developed early in life, it is very important that from day one children, teenagers, as well as adults create and practice good oral hygiene habits to avoid the many affects of bad oral hygiene.

Taking care of a children’s teeth begins after birth, before most children even have their teeth, parents should begin cleaning their child 's gums from birth with a soft toothbrush or cloth as recommended by The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Doing this helps to keep the baby’s mouth clean as well as helping the baby get accustomed to teeth brushing and getting the baby used to having a clean mouth. Once the first tooth makes its entrance it is time to start brushing the child’s teeth with a soft infant
Once someone enters their teen years there will be different factors that will add to the ways a person should care for their teeth. Some things do not change however, teenagers should still be flossing daily and brushing twice daily using fluoride toothpaste. There is also a higher prevalence of gingivitis among teens than prepubertal children or adults. If the teenager if physically active, he or she should wear a mouth guard while being active to avoid injury to the teeth. The teenager should also avoid sugary drinks or snacks such as soda, Gatorade, or candy. Avoiding bad habits like smoking, chewing tobacco, or even drugs is imperative in any person’s health but it is important to make sure the teenager is aware of the negative affects it can have on their teeth since 88% of smokers develop that bad habit by the time they are eighteen. Smoking and the use of chewing tobacco are usually associated with oral cancer and cancers of the head and neck. Piercings on any part of the mouth including lips and toung piercings can cause damage to their teeth. Oral health problems associated with oral jewelry include swallowing the jewelry, aspirating the jewelry, fractured teeth, gingival recession, and speech impairment. Many teens also develop teeth sensitivity by over using whitening products due to the desire they have to whiten their teeth for aesthetic purposes, it is important to make sure that if the teen is going to whiten their teeth they consult a dentist to get a recommendation for what products they should use. Eating disorders are also something that teens need to stay away from not only for their general heath but also for their oral health as it can cause damage to the teeth and mouth, malocclusion, dry mouth, bruising to the palate and more. Crowding or crooked teeth could also cause the teen to need braces