5 Common Dental Mistakes Teens Make

As teenagers become increasingly responsible for their health and well-being, they begin to handle daily hygiene functions like dental care more effectively. Still, many teens overlook important aspects of maintaining good oral health. Here are five of the most common dental mistakes that teens often make.

 

Eating the wrong foods

Teens are notorious for eating junk food at parties or on an individual binge. Cake, cookies, pie, cupcakes, candy, soda, and other sweets play a big role in their diets. Unfortunately, sugary foods cause tooth decay. Parents of teens should encourage them to eat healthy fruit and vegetable snacks instead of sugar.

 

Failure to floss

Getting a teenager to brush once or twice a day is considered by some parents to be a monumental success. Getting a teen to floss is next to impossible, at least for some. Kids that age often lack the patience or interest in flossing along with brushing. It’s up to Mom and Dad to remind them until regular habits are formed.

 

Missing dental checkups

Teenagers enjoy going to the dentist about as much as going to school. Here again, parents need to remind them to make and keep twice-yearly exam appointments. Some dentists, like Dr. Bruce Hartley, specialize in a family dental practice. Teens should have no anxiety about visiting the dentist, knowing that it will make their teeth last longer and look better.

 

Over-whitening their teeth

Some teens are so eager to look perfect that they overdo the whitening process on their teeth. The result can be an unevenly bleached appearance or sensitive teeth. They should be reminded to whiten their teeth only occasionally, using products recommended by the dentist.

 

Not wearing their dental appliances

A significant number of teens wear dental appliances at some point in their youth. However, getting them to wear follow-up retainers consistently can be a challenge. Many teens do wear them the required number of hours per day, but others do not, which can allow newly-aligned teeth to slip back into their former crooked position. Parents should be vigilant in getting teens to wear retainers on a regular basis.

 

Teenagers are childlike in many ways. They are still growing and learning how to be responsible. They may need help in taking proper care of their teeth, especially anything beyond daily brushing. With reminders and a good example set by parents, most teens will fall into place with their dental habits for beautiful, long-lasting teeth.

 

Categories: common, dental mistakes, teens

Clamydia On The Rise; Other SDI"s Flat Among MB Teens

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Chlamydia is on the rise but there’s been no dramatic increases or decreases in the rate of other sexually transmitted diseases among Manitoba teens. Provincial health officials have released their latest report card on the sexual health of Manitoba teens.

 

Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Michael Routledge told 680 CJOB’s Dahlia Kurtz you also shouldn’t just talk about teens.

 

“The bottom line is if you’re talking about sexual health whether a teenager or adult, there are people who are practising sexual health behaviors that are not ideal for their health. While it’s good to have a conversations about teens, we can’t not talk about adults.”

 

Manitoba’s rate for teen pregnancy remains among the highest in the country. The highest rate of sexually transmitted infections is still found in the poorest areas.

 

 

Categories: health, manitoba, manitoba teens, nbsp, sexual, sexual health, sexually transmitted, teens, teens nbsp

Are Teens Becoming Confused by Birth Control Options?

The worries of birth control side effects concern many young people, but there are so many options that are safe, effective and reliable. Contraception offers a number of options to suit you, whether you want something daily, monthly or even every decade. Yet nearly half of pregnancies are unintended, and its because of confusion and uncertainty according to experts. According to research, we now have an entire generation of young adults who are sexually active for the most part, but completely in the dark about what contraceptive to use. They don’t know enough about what’s out there to make a reliable and informed decision, so many either don’t use it at all or don’t use it correctly. The result is unplanned pregnancies and a higher abortion rate. In a recent study in America, 42 per cent of unmarried 18 to 29 year olds said they didn’t know very much about birth control pills, and two-thirds said they knew even less about effective long-lasting contraceptives. Around a third said that they believed there is a good contraceptive for their needs, but that they didn’t know what it was.

It’s not just teens and young adults who don’t know the answers to questions like how long contraceptives last, and which one is most suited to them. If you consider that half of all girls are sexually active by the time they reach 17 years of age, and that menopause hits around 50 for most women, that’s several decades of contraceptive use to avoid unplanned pregnancy. The right choice at 20 might not stay the right choice when you’re in your 40s. Surprisingly, the most popular form of birth control in the U.S is a vasectomy for men and tube tying for women. When it comes to the most popular reversible contraceptive, the pill is number one for many women. However, this is only reliable when it’s taken properly – sickness or missing a dose can lower the chance of it being effective. There are other benefits too, such as long-term users having a lower risk of ovarian cancer, less chance of menstrual cramps and less chance of acne.

When it comes to reliability, the two long-lasting products that are the most effective are also the two that most women haven’t heard of. These are the IUD and the implant. The former is a T-shaped device that sits in the uterus to block sperm. The implant is a matchstick-sized rod that emits hormones to prevent pregnancy, and this sits in the arm. The implant can sit happily in the arm for three years, and the IUD can last either five or ten years depending on the brand. Each is ideal for women who aren’t ready to think about pregnancy just yet, but also don’t want to be thinking about contraception on a daily basis. And if you change your mind, you can just have it removed sooner. While some women may experience a little pain, the newer brands on the market offer less side effects and is more appealing to women. Only a fraction of women in the U.S use these forms of contraception, despite them being effective and hassle-free – just 5.6 per cent according to the latest data. They seem to be more common in Europe though. There are so many varieties of contraception that finding one to suit you perfectly is easy. It’s simply a case of speaking to your GP and talking through your options.

Categories: birth, Birth Control, contraception, contraceptive, effective, long lasting, sexual health, sexually active, teens, Women, young adults

Easy Weight Loss Tips to Banish Teenager Weight Woes

If you’ve gained weight as a secondary school student or since you’ve gone to college,  there are many ways to change your lifestyle to see great weight loss results. To begin with, exercise is hugely important and doesn’t feature very prominently in most teens’ schedules. There are so many benefits though, not just to your weight – you’ll have an improved sense of wellbeing, lower risk of diabetes and stroke, and better cardiovascular health. Most people dread the thought of working up a sweat and building their heart rate up, but the benefits are so huge. Exercise can be as intense or slow paced as you want, depending on what you choose, but as long as you’re moving and your heart rate has quickened, anything goes – from jogging around the block to dancing in your living room! The best way to motivate yourself is to make your workout fun, so try different things out to see what you like. You can also make changes to your everyday routine such as using the stairs instead of the lift or walking to work and college. Get a friend involved and you’ll not only enjoy it more but you’ll also stay motivated to keep it up.

Where your diet is concerned, the best tip you can follow is to not go on a diet – in other words, diets that are designed to offer quick results usually fail. The best way to lose weight and be healthy at the same time is to simply cut down on the fatty and sugary foods, and replace them with healthy, homemade alternatives. Teens are notorious for eating fast food and unhealthy snacks, but these make it so much easier to gain weight. You are what you eat, so make your meals healthy and nutritious. Opt for healthy snacks such as homemade popcorn, yoghurt, pretzels and granola bars. Fruit and vegetables are also fantastic snack foods, offering a healthy boost of energy. Replace all of those cans of fizzy drink with water or the occasional glass of fruit juice, to give your body the hydration it needs without a constant supply of sugar. The body also needs protein, so make sure you get plenty of meat and dairy products, as well as peanut butter and legumes.

If you’re going out with friends, you don’t need to feel as though you can’t join in, but simply act in moderation. If you’re getting a pizza, try not to eat the whole thing – share with a friend or just eat a few slices and stop when you’re full. At the cinema, opt for the freshly made popcorn instead of the branded types that are laden with toffee. And you can treat yourself to an ice cream at the beach, just limit those visits to once a month rather than every week. Weight loss and a healthier lifestyle is simply about willpower, balance and forward-planning – once you have that covered, it’s easier than you think. If you’re unsure how to go about it, gather a great support group in the form of your family and friends who will ensure you stay motivated even when you don’t feel like it. Maintaining a healthy weight can do wonders for your self esteem and confidence, as well as ensuring that weight-related health concerns are reduced. Your GP can offer advice if you’re not sure how to go about changing your lifestyle – if you’re new to exercise and are making drastic diet changes, it may be useful to run it by them to make sure it’s safe.

Categories: diet, Healthy, Heart Rate, lifestyle, simply, stay motivated, teens, weight, Weight Loss

Does Social Pressure Influence Our Sexual Behaviour?

Young people often look to whether they think their partners are ‘clean’ or ‘unclean’ before embarking on a sexual relationship with them, rather than finding out if there are any health risks. In a recent study, researchers discovered that factors such as this influence a young person’s sexual practices, and the patterns are very similar across the world. As nearly half of new HIV infections across the world occur in people aged 15 to 24 years, the changes in sexual behaviour in this group is vital to stem the spread of disease. The findings of this study could help to guide people to more successful safe-sex practices. The results also offer an insight into why so many HIV programmes haven’t been effective. These programmes usually focus on non-social reasons to explain why teens and young adults don’t use condoms, such as ignorance and barriers to access. As a result, all these programmes offer is advice about sex and condoms, without really looking into the social factors that affect them which is dangerous as it is too generic to factor in everyone and their own views on sex.

Researchers found seven common themes, five of which relate to sexual behaviour in general and two pertaining to condom use. The results could point to possible reasons why a teen would put themselves under risk sexually when they find themselves in such a situation. When it comes to condom use, it’s important that both boys and girls use perception to determine the need for condom protection. There are a number of reasons why people don’t feel the need to use condoms – one man in a study stated ‘depends how easy she is’ as a reason for not always using protection. All of the societies studied had a strikingly similar expectation of sexual behaviour in both genders, with men expected to be extremely heterosexually active and women chaste. Because they fear shameful and embarrassing labels, many women don’t want to say yes immediately to a man’s sexual advances. But researchers state that this ‘no’ is difficult to interpret. For men, there is also the stigma attached to a lack of experience in bed or not going out with a lot of women.

Since the advent of HIV and AIDs, there have been many more studies surrounding sexual behaviour. Many of these have focused on changing sexual practices. While the information gathered in these studies is useful, researchers claim that it isn’t as useful for understanding the reasons for the behaviour itself. Qualitative research helps to describe, they say, as well as find the reasons for it surrounding the social context. The results could explain why a woman would neglect to use a condom despite having plenty of knowledge on the subject as well as access to protection. From the seven themes, policy makers could help to create a local profile of factors that influence sexual behaviours. This could be a great template for briefing public health authorities to see which sexual health campaigns will be most useful. One idea for further research is to look at the sexual behaviour of deviants, who don’t follow the norm when it comes to sexual practices. More research could focus on men who refuse intercourse and why, for example. Or it may look into what makes people who demand condoms even with long-term partners, and what makes them different to their peers. There is much scope for more in-depth safe-sex campaigns.

Categories: behaviour, new study, people, reasons, safe sex, sexual, sexual behaviour, sexual health, sexual practices, social, teens

Could HSV-1 Infection be More Risky for Teens?

New study data suggests that an increasing number of adolescents in American lack the antibodies to protect them later in life against a significant cause of genital herpes. According to the study, fewer teens have been exposed to their childhood herpes simplex virus known as HSV-1, a common cause of cold sores, than they were years previously. Without these antibodies, teens could be more at risk when they become sexually active, leading to genital infections that are also caused by the virus, particularly oral sex. HSV-1 and a similarly related virus, the herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), both cause lifelong infections and there is currently no cure – it can go through periods where the infection is dormant after an initial outbreak. Most people develop this strain in childhood, through skin-to-skin contact with an infected adult. However, HSV-2 is only contracted sexually. Recent research has discovered that HSV-1 is becoming a significant cause of genital herpes in certain countries, according to new studies.

In the most recent study, Heather Bradley PhD looked into the prevalence of HSV-1 and 2 in 14 to 49 year olds in the U.S, using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, including blood samples. The data found that an increasing number of U.S adolescents lacked the antibody at their first sexual encounter, making genital herpes more of a risk from that strain. The combination of increased oral sex behaviours among young people and the increased likelihood means that adolescents could be more likely to acquire HSV-1 than previous generations. The study’s key finding is that HSV-1 seroprevalence among 14 to 19 year olds has dropped by almost 23 per cent between 1999 and 2004, and 2005 to 2010. The difference that has occurred over the past ten years represents around a nine per cent decrease in the percentage of adolescents who’ve already had oral HSV-1 as they enter their sexually active years. During this time, exposure to the virus genitally is increasingly common, meaning that the risk of genital herpes is also common.

Teens could be making the problem worse by changing their sexual practices. An unintended consequence of the success of public campaigns which aim to limit the spread of HIV have led to some people believing that oral sex is safer. Naturally, this form of sex has its own set of sexually transmitted diseases and has increased the risk of genital herpes. Up to 30 per cent of infected infants will die from this infection if they have the most severe form of the disease, according to researchers. Sexually transmitted diseases are more common now, as young people are becoming sexually active earlier than they used to and are doing so with less understanding of contraception and safe sex practices. Although many teens don’t use it, there are many forms of contraception to make sex safer, both penetrative and oral sex. Finding the right form of contraception and following safe sex practices is important for anyone who is sexually active. The best advice if you’re unsure about contraception or how to use it correctly is to speak to your local GUM clinic or book an appointment with your GP who can advise you of the best forms of contraception for your needs. They will  be able to speak to you about how to use contraception correctly, which forms are available to you and also offer regular check-ups to ensure that you remain healthy and free of sexually transmitted diseases.

Categories: genital herpes, increasing number, oral sex, safe sex, Sex, sex practices, sexually active, sexually transmitted, teens, transmitted diseases, year olds

Teens and Drug Use: How to Help Them Recover

Although many parents would like to think otherwise, it is extremely common for teenagers to experiment with drugs and alcohol. Therefore, you need to be prepared for the possibility that your teen could get into legal trouble, and you will also want to remain alert for any potential warning signs of a developing substance abuse problem.

 

Keep in mind that the reaction that you have to the topic of drugs will have a big impact on whether or not your teenager feels comfortable enough to be honest with you. In other words, you will need to carefully approach the subject without giving them a free pass to do whatever they want.

 

Teens Charged with Possession

Regardless of whether your teenager has an issue with drugs or was simply experimenting for the first time, you will need to give them your support if they get arrested for possession or underage drinking. After all, if they do not obtain experienced legal representation, they could end up dealing with the ramifications of their bad decision for the rest of their life. Therefore, you will need to put your anger at the situation aside and step up to protect them.

 

 

The best way to ensure that your teen makes it through the legal process with help is to hire an experienced juvenile criminal defense attorney. Your attorney should be knowledgeable and have a solid track record within your area. For example, look for a well-known juvenile defense attorney in Orlando when facing charges in that area due to their knowledge and reputation with local judges and prosecuting attorneys in the Orlando court systems. Sometimes, reputation can make a difference for first time juvenile offenders. In fact, if your lawyer builds the right defense, it is possible that your teenager will only need to deal with probation.

 

Tips for Discussing Drug Usage with Your Teen

 

1. Be Honest 

It is always important to avoid saying something hypocritical when you are discussing drugs and drinking with your children. After all, if your teen has ever seen you drink, your argument against underage imbibing will be severely weakened if you simply use the defense of being a legal adult. Instead, you should consider telling your teenager a story that illustrates some of the consequences that you have faced in the past for drinking.

 

2. Stay Calm

It is easy to fly off the handle when your teenager is busted with drugs, but exploding at them is only going to make them want to retreat further into their own bubble. Instead, you should let them know that you understand the allure of experimenting with something new, but make sure that you also make it clear that doing something illegal is a really bad idea.

 

 

3. Discuss the Facts 

Many teenagers believe that they could never end up addicted to drugs or alcohol. To dispel this myth, you should consider letting them see firsthand how awful drug abuse can be. For example, if you have a bad area of town where homeless drug addicts are known to congregate, you could drive them through that area so that they can see how many different types of people have ruined their lives with drugs.

 

As long as you are open with your teenager and encourage them to talk to you about drugs and alcohol, you should be able to help prevent them from ending up in legal trouble. However, if an issue still occurs, it is always best to hire a juvenile criminal defense attorney to help protect your teen’s future.

 

With 3 teens, Lisa Coleman understands the heartache that can accompany the teen years, such as bullying, peer pressure, and the curiosity of alcohol and drugs. She recently researched online at http://www.orlandocriminalteam.com/ about the difference hiring an experienced and well established juvenile attorney in a person’s local area can make for a case of a first time offender faced with possession charges, and how it can result in probation time only.

 

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/62021300@N00/5143421728/

Categories: Alcohol, criminal defense, defense attorney, drug possession, drugs, juvenile criminal, juvenile defense attorney, nbsp, nbsp nbsp, talking with teens, teens

Teens and Drinking: How To Talk To Your Child

Talking to your teenager about anything can be difficult, especially when it is about a touchy subject like peer pressure and underage drinking. Teens are in such a difficult position in their lives. They are trying so hard to become adults that listening to their parents seems like the wrong thing to do, yet they know they need their parent’s guidance to grow.

 

Your teen will most likely sit and roll their eyes, shrug their shoulders and act like what you are saying doesn’t matter when you bring up underage drinking. The truth is, under all of that acting they are really listening to you. The fact that you are talking to them about this issue gives them the knowledge that you still love and care for them. Many teens feel that parents stop caring once they reach a certain age.

 

You might not be able to get an open discussion going with your teen, but you should voice your opinions nonetheless. Do not go into attack mode when discussing alcohol and peer pressure, they will tune you out. Instead, approach the subject matter-of-factly and drive home the points of your message.

 

Points To Bring Up About Drinking

 

• Drinking Makes You Irresponsible. Let your teen know that more bad decisions are made when you are drunk than are ever made when sober. Let them know that as a teen, parents are looking for them to make good decisions so that they can be trusted with more responsibilities and rewards. Let them know that these decisions can impact their entire future.
• DUI Is A Serious Crime. Tell your teen about how serious a charge DUI is and how it can change their whole future. Let them know that a DUI conviction can prevent them from attending a college of their choice, from being hired at a company they desire, and will cause them financial distress. Let them know that they will lose their right to drive and may face time in juvenile detention if convicted.
• Friends Who Drink Are Not Friends. Let them know that if their friends are drinking, they are not their true friends, especially if they are pressuring them to drink. Remind them that underage drinking is against the law, and if you decide to break one law how many more will you decide to break?
• No Questions Asked. Tell your teen if they find themselves in a position where everyone else is drinking and they need a way home, you will come get them with no questions asked. Make sure you tell your teen how important it is not to get into a car with someone that has been drinking, and that you love them more than anything and want them to come home alive. Tell them you will come get them regardless of time and place. Let them know that they can rely on you, without getting in trouble, for making the right choice and not drinking.

 

Talking to your teen can be difficult, but it will make a wonderful difference in their lives. Whether or not they show that they are listening, they are, and what you say really matters.

From talking herself to death to banging her head against the wall, Melanie Fleury knows that sometimes nothing you say will stop your kids from making a horrible mistake. Underage drinking and the laws surrounding it are so complex that it can be hard to navigate on your own. If your child is charged with a DUI or does something while underaged and drinking, hiring an experienced attorney like Steve E. Kellis at http://www.kellislaw.com/ can ensure that your child’s rights are fought for and that all possibilities of dismissing the charges are explored.

Categories: crime, Drinking, teens

New Study Shows Active Teens More Likely to be Happy

A new study has shown that the best way to ensure your teenager’s mental and emotional wellness is to ensure that they lead a healthy and active lifestyle.

The study surveyed 2,400 children, and found that those who had a sedentary lifestyle, such as those who watched more TV or spent more time watching video games, were more likely to suffer from health problems (both mental and physical) than their more active counterparts. Children who played 2.5 or more hours of sport per day, however, reported a far better health record and sense of wellbeing than other children.

This report should encourage parents to become aware of how much exercise their children are taking. A senior research fellow in the study encouraged parents to recognise the fact that physical activity can have all kinds of different benefits to the mental and physical health of their children, and to limit the amount of time that they spend behind a screen of any kind.

This is particularly worrying as it was recently reported that children aged 8 – 10 in the UK generally spend 20 minutes or less per day on physical activity.

The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all children spend at least 60 minutes every day engaged in some kind of physical activity. These activities should include exercises that get the heart pumping, such as aerobics, as well as those that strengthens the muscles and the bones. All exercises should also be age-appropriate, so that small children are able to access the type of physical activity that they enjoy and are good at (such as general running around) and older children have more structured routines and sports available to them.

Teenagers who take part in a more active lifestyle may well find that their confidence, happiness and sense of wellbeing are all greatly improved as a result.

Categories: active, exercise, teens

Porn May Not Have Too Much of a Negative Effect on Teens

As a parent, finding out that your teenager has been viewing pornography can be your worst nightmare. Whilst you know that sexual health is an issue for teens, it can be easier to pretend that it doesn’t exist, and so being confronted with evidence of it can be hard to take. You may be concerned for their wellbeing and fear that this experience will have a detrimental effect on their future wellness.

It may not be as worrying as you think, however, as recent research has shown that pornography may not have as much of an impact on how young people view sexual relationships between men and women.

This study was published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, and it used the results of an online survey which questioned 4,600 young people about their use of pornography, sexual habits and attitude towards sex. This was carried out in The Netherlands, and all participants were aged between 15 and 25.

Questions asked, as well as use of pornography, included number of sexual partners, number of one-night stands, whether they had ever had sex in exchange for money and whether they took part in adventurous sex, such as having threesomes.

The researchers discovered that 88 percent of men and 45 percent of women had looked at pornography during the past year. Both genders preferred viewing porn on the internet to other mediums, with men seeking out hard core porn whereas women preferred soft core.

A link between pornography use and sexual habits was found – but that link was found to be fairly mild. Those who use pornography were not particularly more inclined towards risky sexual behaviour or adventurous sexual encounters than those who did not use pornography.

Porn May Not Have Too Much of a Negative Effect on Teens

Categories: effect, Porn, teens

Do Your Teenagers Understand the Impact of Rape?

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Categories: culture, high, rape, santa teresa, Sex, sexual, Sexual Assault, slut shaming, Teenagers, teens, teresa high

Why Should You Talk Openly About Sex with Your Teenager?

Believe it or not, there was a time – only a decade ago – when Facebook and Twitter did not exist and mobile phones were owned primarily by adults. Today’s teenagers are now being called the “mobile generation,” with 75% owning a mobile phone – 84% of whom sleep with it turned on by their bed. But what’s that got to do with sexual health?

With all this new technology has come a constant barrage of sexual imagery. Your teenager’s sexual wellness, and overall wellbeing, is being shaped by advertising, prime time television and all forms of popular media, creating new obstacles to “the talk” that weren’t there just a decade ago. As a result, parents, teachers and members of the community need to come together to work with today’s young people and understand the world our teens are facing. Research shows that teens who report having open conversations with their parents about sex are more likely to delay sex, have fewer partners and use condoms and other birth control methods when they do have sex.

Because of this, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains’ Responsible Sex Education Institute, in partnership with the Healthy Colorado Youth Alliance, hosted a panel discussion entitled Sexual Health in the Digital Age at the Denver School of Science and Technology last year. Perhaps it wasn’t the pithiest of titles, but, in 2011 alone, the Responsible Sex Education Institute presented over 1,000 educational presentations to almost 18,000 participants – they must be doing something right!

Made up of experts from throughout the community, the panel met to speak to the obstacles and opportunities presented by technology, and how that technology can be used to advance sexual health, address teen pregnancy rates and in turn address high school graduation rates in US communities. With an estimated 750,000 American teens (15-19) becoming pregnant each year, the United States has the highest rates of teen pregnancy among comparable countries, and the statistics pertaining to STDs are just as alarming. One in two sexually active young people contract an STD before the age of 25, but as we’re hardly producing monks and nuns back in Blighty, is there something we can learn from Colorado’s initiative?

Why Should You Talk Openly About Sex with Your Teenager?

Categories: education institute, responsible sex, sex education, sexual, sexual health, technology, Teen pregnancy, teens, the talk, young people