Teenage Girls And Puberty: What Parents Should Know About Their Teen's Gums

If you're the parent of a teenage girl, you may keep an eye out for a number of things that may affect their health during puberty. One of the things you might not know to monitor is your teen's gums. If your teen's gums aren't healthy, they can develop periodontal disease and canker sores over time. Learn how puberty affects your teen's gums and what you should do if your loved one has a problem with their gums.

How Does Puberty Affect Teens' Gums?

As girls age, they undergo a number of hormone changes (puberty) in their bodies. Some of these changes in hormones can affect your loved one's oral health, particularly their gums. Without good care, even healthy gum tissue can be affected by inflammation and sores.

Teens produce a substantial amount of estrogen and progesterone during puberty. The two distinct and important hormones help your teen's body grow and develop into womanhood. The hormones also allow too much blood to circulate to your teen's gums, which can make the tissue very sensitive to plaque.

Plaque generally consists of a variety of things, including mucus and bacteria. If your teen doesn't brush and floss properly, the germs in plaque can make your teen's gums swell and bleed. The symptoms may increase during your teen's monthly cycles or menstruations.

The irritants in plaque can also cause tiny sores (cankers) to form on your loved one's gums and other soft parts of the mouth. Although canker sores are generally harmless, they can make your teen's mouth feel very uncomfortable when they eat.

If your teen has a problem with their gums right now, speak to a periodontist or dentist immediately.

How Do You Treat Your Teen's Gums?

The inflammation in your teen's gums can worsen without good dental care. To get rid of the inflammation in your teen's gums, a periodontist will clean their teeth and gums. A dentist may also treat your teen's gums with antibiotics. Antibiotics can help heal your teen's gums by destroying the germs that inflamed them in the first place.

In addition to cleaning your teen's mouth, a periodontist may provide your teen with tips on how to minimize plaque. These tips may include information on how to:

• select the best type of toothbrush
• use the proper tooth brushing techniques
• eat properly to keep the gums healthy

If your teen's gums become inflamed after treatment, schedule an appointment right away. Your teen may need additional periodontal care to control the inflammation.

For more details on keeping your teen's gums healthy during puberty and beyond, contact a dental office like Bradley Piotrowski, DDS, MSD, LLC today.