Teeth development in teenagers
The 32 adult teeth replace the baby teeth between the ages of 6 and 20 years. By the age of 12, most children have all their adult teeth except for their third molars (wisdom teeth), which appear around 18-20 years.
How to brush teeth properly: for teenagers
Brushing teeth is important for keeping teeth clean and preventing tooth decay, bad breath and gum disease. But teenagers don’t always brush their teeth, and there could be many reasons for this. For example, your child might not understand the importance of brushing teeth and gums, or they might just forget to do it.
Try to look out for signs that your child isn’t brushing their teeth. For example, their toothbrush hasn’t been used, their teeth don’t look clean, or they have swollen or bleeding gums or bad breath.
You can encourage your child to brush their teeth twice a day. Talking about why it’s good to brush your teeth could be a good place to start.
In case your child needs reminding, here are the basic steps for brushing teeth:
- Use a pea-sized amount of adult fluoride toothpaste.
- Aim the toothbrush at a 45° angle towards the gumline. If you’re using a manual toothbrush, move the brush in small, gentle circles. If you’re using an electric toothbrush, move the brush gently across the teeth, spending a few seconds on each tooth.
- Start with the top teeth. Brush the outside surface of the top teeth and along the gumline, one tooth at a time. Then brush the inside surface of the teeth and gums, one tooth at a time.
- Move to the bottom teeth and repeat the step above.
- Brush along the chewing surfaces of the teeth.
- Gently brush the tongue.
- Brush for around 2 minutes.
- Spit out the toothpaste as you clean. There’s no need to rinse with water. Any leftover fluoride toothpaste helps to build strong, healthy teeth.
If your child’s teeth sit tightly against each other, your child can use waxed dental floss to clean between their teeth once a day.
How to choose toothbrushes and keep them clean
Choosing a toothbrush
When you and your child are choosing a toothbrush, you can look for the following:
- Soft bristles – these won’t damage your child’s gums or the surfaces of your child’s teeth.
- A small head – this will make it easy for your child to move the toothbrush one tooth at a time around their mouth.
Electric and manual toothbrushes are equally good if your child uses them properly to clean all the surfaces of their teeth. Electric toothbrushes can be useful if your child has difficulty with hand control.
Keeping the toothbrush clean
Your child should rinse the toothbrush with tap water after cleaning teeth and gums. And your child should store the toothbrush upright in an open container to allow it to air-dry.
It’s a good idea for your child to change their toothbrush every 3-4 months or when the bristles get worn or frayed.
Fluoride and dental health
Fluoride is a mineral that keeps teeth strong and prevents tooth decay. Fluoride is safe and works best when your child gets it in very small amounts throughout the day from the following sources:
- Toothpaste – at this age, your child can use regular adult fluoride toothpaste.
- Tap water – most tap water in Australia has added fluoride.
For teenagers who are at high risk of developing tooth decay, dentists might also prescribe gels and pastes with extra fluoride.
Diet is an important part of preventing tooth decay. Encourage your child to avoid sugary foods and sugary drinks like fruit juice, soft drink and flavoured milk. Smoking, vaping, alcohol and other drugs are also bad for dental health. There’s no safe level of alcohol, smoking and drug use for teenagers.
Dental sealants
Your dentist might recommend dental sealants for your child.
Dental sealants are thin, plastic coatings that stick to the chewing surfaces of teeth, where most cavities in children are found. These sealants prevent plaque build-up in the grooves of the teeth, which helps to stop tooth decay. Applying the sealants is usually simple and quick, with no pain and minimal discomfort for your child.
Sealants don’t stay on your child’s teeth forever. They might sometimes need fixing or replacing. Your dentist will check them regularly.
You can speak to your dentist about whether dental sealants are a good option for your child.
Visiting the dentist: a key part of dental care
Your child should visit the dentist regularly, even if you think your child’s teeth are healthy. Talk to your dentist about how often your child needs a check-up. Dentists usually recommend every 6-12 months.
Depending on your child’s needs, your child might also see other dental health professionals like dental therapists, dental hygienists, oral health therapists, paediatric dentists or orthodontists.
Dental care in Australia
In Australia, children can get dental care in the public system or private system.
The public dental health system provides basic dental care, which is often free or subsidised.
The private dental health system provides both basic and specialist dental care. This usually costs money. Private health insurance and other schemes might partly cover the cost of private dental care.
If you’re eligible, the Australian Government’s Child Dental Benefits Schedule covers basic dental care for children aged 0-17 years at most private and public dental services.
You can visit your state or territory health department website or Teeth.org.au – Government dental care to find out about public dental services near you. You can also search online to find private dental services near you.