If you are a teenager or young adult, you need to protect your mouth and teeth by maintaining good oral health. Although regular brushing and flossing are important, the oral health of those in this age group is also often associated with risk factors such as diet, smoking and alcohol and mouth and tongue piercings.
Eat well
- Limit sugars and processed foods to mealtimes (rather than between meals).
- Choose snacks such as cheese, natural yoghurt, fresh fruit and vegetables, dry biscuits, nuts and wholegrain bread.
Drink well
- Choose water (particularly tap water) and plain milk both with and between meals.
- Limit soft drinks, sports drinks, juice, flavoured water and other carbonated drinks as they can cause decay and dissolve the tooth enamel.
- Chew sugar-free gum to stimulate saliva flow and help protect teeth from decay.
Clean well
- Maintain good oral hygiene. Brush teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and a toothbrush that has small, compact head and soft bristles. When the bristles appear ‘shaggy’ it is time to change toothbrushes.
- Flossing once a day is recommended. There may be some bleeding at first but this should subside after a few days if tooth cleaning is thorough. If bleeding persists, seek advice from a dentist or other oral health professional.
Play well
- Wear a professionally fitted mouth guard when training and playing sport where there is risk of oral injury.
Stay Well
- If you smoke, quit for good.
- If you drink alcohol, limit your intake.
- Protect your mouth and face from the sun to reduce the risk of skin cancer.
- Have regular oral health checkups – don’t wait for a problem.
- Seek advice from an oral health professional about how often you should have checkups.
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