At Smile Town Burnaby, we know that resisting peer pressure can be hard for teens. But when it comes to smoking especially, it's important that parents arm them with the tools they need to resist – both for their overall health, and for their oral health.
Most people know that smoking increases the risk of lung cancer, but not as many people are know about the oral health problems that smoking can cause.
Some of these oral health issues, such as bad breath and tooth discolouration, are merely unpleasant to the senses. But when they start smoking, teens take some very serious oral health risks as well.
Smoking increase the buildup of plaque and tartar on the teeth. The acid in the plaque that eats away at tooth enamel and dentin can cause cavities and tooth sensitivity.
The excess tartar and plaque smoking causes also contributes to the development of gum disease. Gum disease can eventually result in tooth loss, and loss of jaw bone density.
And of course, smoking also increases the risk of oral cancer.
How can stop my teen from smoking?
One of the best way to stop your teen from smoking is by talking to him or her about the risks associated with it.
Try to start talking to your children about the risks of smoking as soon as they’re old enough to understand. But don't feel bad if you haven't had a chat about smoking yet; it’s never too late to start!
Prepare a bit in advance by doing some research, and then sit down together for a serious, straightforward discussion about the risks associated with smoking.
The talk doesn't need to be a long one, but try to go over all of the more serious health issues in detail. And don’t forget to mention things like bad breath and discoloured teeth! Teenagers tend to feel a bit invincible when it comes to their health, but they can also be very self-conscious about their appearances, and what their friends think of them. That means that bringing up the social issues that can arise as a result of smoking might have a bigger impact than the scary health issues!