Adolescent Dentistry

Warm, Caring, and Child-Friendly - Dentists For Kids in Cary, NC

ADOLESCENT DENTISTRY

Adolescent dentistry in Cary presents its own set of challenges. This is an exciting time in your child’s life as they develop from children to young adults. We enjoy watching our patients make that change; however, their newfound independence, changes in diet, and sometimes a decreased motivation often increases their risks of dental decay. Our staff is fully trained to connect with adolescent patients, discuss oral hygiene issues, and help them with positive reinforcement to develop good hygiene habits that will last a lifetime.

Dentistry for Teens

We love hearing about our patients’ successes through middle school, high school, and early college. Cheering them on with pride, we also guide them toward healthy habits along the way. We celebrate their accomplishments when they “graduate” and transition to an adult dentist. Our goal is to help them develop lifelong habits for excellent oral health.

TONGUE PIERCING - IS IT REALLY COOL?

Oral piercings, such as those on the tongue, lips, or cheeks, may seem trendy, but they come with serious risks. These piercings can cause chipped or cracked teeth, blood clots, blood poisoning, heart infections, and even brain abscesses. Additionally, they may lead to nerve disorders like trigeminal neuralgia, receding gums, or excessive scar tissue.

Your mouth contains millions of bacteria, making infections a common complication of oral piercings. One of the most dangerous risks is tongue swelling, which can become severe enough to block your airway.

After getting an oral piercing, many people experience pain, swelling, infection, increased saliva production, and gum injuries. If the needle hits a blood vessel or nerve bundle, it can cause severe bleeding or permanent nerve damage.

The American Dental Association strongly advises against oral piercings due to these health risks. Protect your oral health and skip the mouth jewelry.

TOBACCO - BAD NEWS IN ANY FORM

Tobacco in any form can jeopardize your child’s health and cause incurable damage. Teach your child about the dangers of tobacco.

Smokeless tobacco, also called spit, chew or snuff, is often used by teens who believe that it is a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes. This is an unfortunate misconception. Studies show that spit tobacco may be more addictive than smoking cigarettes and may be more difficult to quit. Teens who use it may be interested to know that one can of snuff per day delivers as much nicotine as 60 cigarettes. In as little as three to four months, smokeless tobacco use can cause periodontal disease and produce pre-cancerous lesions called leukoplakias.

If your child is a tobacco user you should watch for the following that could be early signs of oral cancer:

A sore that won’t heal.
White or red leathery patches on the lips, and on or under the tongue.

Pain, tenderness or numbness anywhere in the mouth or lips.
Difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving the jaw or tongue; or a change in the way the teeth fit together.

Because the early signs of oral cancer usually are not painful, people often ignore them. If it’s not caught in the early stages, oral cancer can require extensive, sometimes disfiguring, surgery. Even worse, it can kill.

Help your child avoid tobacco in any form. By doing so, they will avoid bringing cancer-causing chemicals in direct contact with their tongue, gums, and cheek.

Vaping and its effects on your Your Teeth

As a parent, understanding the risks of your teen’s vaping habits is crucial. Vaping significantly harms dental and oral health. The aerosol from vaping devices contains harmful chemicals like nicotine, formaldehyde, and acrolein. These chemicals can cause dry mouth, gum disease, and tooth decay. Nicotine restricts blood flow, weakening the body’s ability to fight infections. This also slows healing, worsening oral health issues over time. Heat from vaping devices irritates soft tissues, causing inflammation and potential cancer risks. Long-term vaping erodes enamel, leading to tooth sensitivity and discoloration. Though seemingly safer than smoking, vaping still threatens oral health.