Teen Health Includes Healthy Teeth

Teens throw a whole set of unique challenges every parent’s way. A lot of focus for teens is on the physical and emotional changes they are experiencing. For their overall health though, it’s also important to keep good dental health in mind.

Most people know that instilling good habits in a child’s early years — healthy diet, limiting sugary drinks, brushing, flossing and getting regular dental checkups — will set them up to have a healthy mouth and smile.

But even with good habits and routine dental care in place, teens can face a number of challenges related to their teeth. For some of these issues, you’ll want to be prepared to make decisions with your child’s dentist about care options. For others, you’ll want to be ready to have discussions with your teen.

Crooked Teeth

The arrival of adult teeth happens in stages—starting at about six to seven years old and continuing into puberty. While every child is different, most have all 28 permanent teeth in place by the time they’re 13 years old. Often, the teeth have enough room to grow in straight. But for many kids, that’s not the case. In fact, crooked teeth are often genetic and will remain crooked without help to realign them. The American Association of Orthodontists reports that children’s teeth do not straighten out as kids grow.

Crooked, misaligned teeth don’t just affect smiles. If left untreated in some children, they can cause psychological problems or pain. They can also cause difficulty eating, drinking, speaking and breathing.

As a result, millions of teens and kids each year wear braces to straighten their teeth. Talk with your teen’s dentist to see if and when they need to see an orthodontist. 

Wisdom Teeth

Called “third molars,” these teeth most often come in between ages 17 and 25. They don’t always cause an issue. Many people don’t know they’ve come in until a dentist sees them on an X-ray. Your dentist may recommend they be removed. Some reasons for this are if they cause pain, crowd the other teeth in the mouth or are in the wrong position.

Sports Injuries

Teens who play any kind of contact sport should wear a protective mouthguard. Skateboarders and snowboarders should also wear them. Mouthguards keep teeth from being broken or knocked out. By absorbing blows to the teeth, lips and cheeks, they protect your teen from pain and injury. Talk with your teen’s dentist to see which type of mouthguard offers the best protection for the sport they play. And, talk to your teen about the importance of wearing their mouthguard to keep their pearly whites intact.

Mouth Piercings

Your teen may want a pierced tongue or lip to follow the latest trends, but there’s more to getting a piercing than looking cool. Because the mouth is home to millions of bacteria, a hole made to hold a stud or ring jewelry can easily become infected. With the growing popularity of piercings, dentists are seeing more serious infections. With some, the mouth and tongue swell so much they endanger breathing. Infected mouth piercings can even lead to hepatitis and infections of the heart. Have a talk with your teen about these dangers early. Help them weigh the risks of getting a piercing so they know what they’re getting into. If they do get a piercing, be sure they are aware of how to care for it to avoid infections or damage to their teeth.

Tobacco, Smoking, Drinking, Drugs

For many people, the teen years are a time of experimenting and trying new things. This can lead to curiosity about tobacco, smoking, alcohol and drugs. But teeth always tell a story about our health. Over time, engaging in any of these activities can stain and even destroy the tooth enamel that protects teeth. Once tooth enamel is gone, the body can’t replace it. Teeth are left sensitive and prone to tooth decay.

Using tobacco, drinking alcohol or using drugs  regularly also causes bleeding gums, cavities and tooth loss. Most importantly, it can lead to a higher risk of oral cancer and other cancers throughout the body.  

Keeping your teen and their teeth healthy doesn’t happen without some serious discussions. Help your teen navigate making good choices about daily behaviors. Let them know the damage done due to poor habits can affect their health and their teeth permanently.

Dental issues are part of growing up. As a parent, your best strategy to help your teen have a healthy mouth is to talk to them. With your help and regular dental care, your teen will be set to take charge of their smile for life.

Sources: Nine Questions Teens Ask About Dental Health,  American Dental Association, 2025; Teething Syndrome,  Cleveland Clinic, 2023; Misaligned Teeth and Jaws: Overview,  National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, 2023; What to Know About Oral Piercing,  WebMD, 2025;Frequently Asked Questions,  American Association of Orthodontists, 2025; Impact of Drug use on Oral Health: Drugs that Cause Dental Problems,  American Addiction Centers, 2024; How Drug Abuse Affects the Mouth,  WebMD, 2024