Teenagers And Teeth – What To Know As Parents When Considering Tooth Whitening For Your Teen

~ kidstoothhotline

In the Know for You to Know

Should We Whiten Our Teeth?
Should We Whiten Our Teeth?

A big welcoming smile is a great way to meet people and make friends. Yet many tweens and teens are self-conscious about their smiles because of discolored or off-white teeth. This concern is even more prevalent with the emphasis on whitening teeth.

A smile can have an enormous impact on a teen’s self-esteem. Children who are self-conscious about their smiles can seem reserved and appear not interested in making friends. You’ll know when you see them hiding their mouth behind their hands or consciously keeping their mouth closed to avoid showing their teeth.

Today we’re talking teen’s teeth with helpful information for you to know on tooth whitening as your teen plans for prom and graduation.

Causes Of Discolored Teeth

There are many possible causes of discolored teeth and white spots on the tooth enamel of children. Some of the most common include trauma to a tooth or illness during tooth development that disrupts enamel formation.

In addition, a tooth can discolor if a child takes certain medicines during key stages of tooth development. Poor oral hygiene, especially during orthodontic treatment, can also lead to discolored areas on teeth, white spots and cavities.

Best Tooth Whitening Practices

Teenagers, especially, will focus on an off-white smile; which leads to a lot of requests for bleaching. It’s recommended to undertake a tooth whitening program under the guidance of a dentist and not use the commercially available home whitening kits.

Home tooth whitening kits are similar to those used in the dental office, but the concentrations of active ingredients are lower than in a dental professional’s product. Because your dentist can control the application and understands how the products work, they can work with higher concentrations.

Then there’s the overly enthusiastic teens who ignore the instructions on the home whitening kits and are applying them for longer than the recommended time. This can cause prolonged sensitivity and damage to the enamel.

Whitening Tooth Paste

Parents also ask about whitening toothpastes for their tweens and teens. It’s recommended not to use toothpastes with whitening agents until the roots of all their adult teeth are fully formed. Once a tooth comes into the mouth, it takes 3 years for the roots of teeth to fully form and close.

After the roots of all their adult teeth are fully formed, a whitening toothpaste (with the ADA Seal of Approval and containing fluoride) should only be used once a day because these products are abrasive. As a result, they can wear away tooth enamel, making teeth sensitive to hot and cold.

It’s important that when using a whitening toothpaste to use a regular, non-abrasive toothpaste (with the ADA Seal of Approval and with fluoride) for their second daily brushing.

Time Line for Tooth Whitening

While some children at 12 years old may have all their adult teeth in their mouth the roots of these teeth are not fully formed and this is very important because of the effect on root development.

For the tweens and teens who have a combination of adult and baby teeth, they are in their mixed dentition. Which means that a lot of new adult teeth which are not in their mouths yet are forming, especially the roots. While there needs to be more research on whitening agents for tweens and teens , it’s always good to keep up with flossing and brushing and re-evaluate in another year or two.

Side Effects Of Tooth Whitening

There needs to be a lot more studies on whitening and its effects on teenager’s teeth and gums.

For the oldest teens who do undertake a whitening regimen be careful. Watch out for tooth sensitivity, gum irritation, and nerve damage. These effects may be localized or full mouth and due to inflammation and harming tooth structure. How long they last is individual. As always be aware and informed.

Our Teeth Say It All
Our Teeth Say It All
My Parents Were Right About Tooth Whitening
My Parents Were Right About Tooth Whitening
Talking With My Mom
Talking With My Mom
I Don't Know, Should I Whiten My Teeth Or Not?
I Don’t Know, Should I Whiten My Teeth Or Not?

Is your teen looking to boost their smile confidence? Are you comfortable with your teen having their teeth whitened? What more would you like to know about whitening options for your tween and teen? Tell us, We’d really like to know! Send us an email to kidstoothhotline@proton.me Like Us on Facebook

Now We Understand About Tooth Whitening
Now We Understand About Tooth Whitening

More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!

Unknown's avatar

Published by kidstoothhotline

As a Board Certified Pediatric Dentist with over ten years of experience practicing Pediatric Dentistry, I understand that parents and caregivers are in need for information to care for their children's oral health. You may not have your normal lines of communication open or you cannot easily call or visit your child’s Dentist and obtain answers to your questions. Some families may not yet have a Pediatric Dentist to call. My expertise and knowledge can help serve as your source as I provide answers with information that is current, informative and the Gold Standards of Care which are the practice Guidelines approved by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. I want to help you access this important information by answering your questions through this site. You may want to submit your own individual questions or you can view my postings and answers to other families questions that may apply to your child's needs. I am committed to helping you stay informed, after all it is all about your child.