Helping Your Teens with Oral Care

As your children grow up, they are going to be given more and more responsibility when it comes to looking after themselves. However, you should make sure that you are checking up to ensure that they are following through with important details like oral care. Let’s take a look at some of the things you can do to help them take responsibility here.

Chat About the Consequences

It is important that they fully understand the consequences of not brushing their teeth. If they are in a rush to get to school or head out the door to meet their friends, it can be understandable that they think it is OK to palm a piece of gum instead of stopping and brushing.

However, you need to make sure that they understand why this is not acceptable in the long run. They are not children, and you should not have to stand over them to ensure that they are brushing their teeth, but you do need to make sure that they are doing what you have taught them.

Take Their Choices into Consideration

One way to make them feel more involved in decisions about their health, thus giving them the opportunity to take on a little more responsibility, is to take their choices into consideration. For example, if they are going to need orthodontic treatments, you could check these braces at straightmyteeth.com together. Choosing to investigate the options at Straight My Teeth instead of just opting for the first recommendation you can find from your dentist can teach them valuable skills about how to research a purchase.

Even something as small as respecting their choice of toothpaste or mouthwash can make all the difference. As your teens get older, you need to make sure that your relationship with them evolves. Including them in decisions about their health and wellbeing is a must.

Teach Them About Healthy Diets

One of the best ways to maintain oral health is through the right diet. As your children enter their teenage years, they are going to be taking more responsibility for their own health. Whether they are picking up lunch on the go or deciding to cook entirely for themselves, they are going to begin to make their own choices when it comes to what they eat and drink.

Make sure you teach them about which foods are good for oral health, and which are to be avoided. For example, you will want to ensure that they are eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, but you should caution them that something like fruit juice might not be the best option when it comes to their teeth.

These are all small decisions you can make that could have a much larger impact on the health of your children, and they are all important lessons that you need to teach them. Make sure that you are able to pass on the importance of good healthcare to them so they will be able to look after this aspect of their health throughout their adult lives.