23 June 2023

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55% of Spanish adolescents have an oral health problem

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Almost 55% of adolescents have some type of oral health problem, including tooth sensitivity, bleeding gums, clenching or grinding of teeth and pain or difficulty opening or closing the mouth, according to the Sanitas Oral Health Study 2023.

During adolescence the maxillofacial bones have not yet completed their development, which facilitates the movements necessary to correct problems such as malocclusion or dental crowding. According to the data of the study, 3 out of 4 adolescents wear or have worn an orthodontic appliance or braces.

"Adolescence is a complex stage, of many changes, but it can be a key moment to address oral problems already present since, if corrections are made during this period, we can prevent them from going further in the future", said Dr. Berta Uzquiza, dentist and head of Innovation and Clinical Quality at Sanitas Dental.

Dental health is directly related to overall health. If these problems are not corrected at an early age, problems arising from a bad bite may appear. Some of them are:

• Poor digestion. Teeth that do not occlude correctly hinders the correct chewing of food, which means more work of the stomach.
• Gum problems and increased risk of cavities. Crowding of the teeth makes it difficult to brush so that proper hygiene can be carried out, which can lead to gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) or an increased risk of tooth decay.
• Headaches and neck. An incorrect gear of the teeth can have an impact on problems in the temporomandibular joint and muscle pains in the head and cervical area, which try to compensate for this malocclusion.

Taking into account these problems, it should be noted that practically all Spanish adolescents said that they would be open to orthodontic treatment if necessary and 56% would choose the treatment recommended by their dentist, according to data extracted from the study.

In addition, 39% of adolescents indicate that they would be willing to start dental treatment only for cosmetic reasons.

"The best orthodontic treatment for each person is the one that, after conducting a rigorous study and analysis of the case by an orthodontist, successfully treats the patient's pathology by restoring oral function and the aesthetics of their smile," said Uzquiza. "In these cases, it is necessary to carry out periodic reviews, either in person or even through video consultation."

The time required to wear orthodontics and the results obtained will depend largely on the adolescent's follow-up of the orthodontist's instructions. These include eating the right foods, maintaining good oral hygiene and adhering to the prescribed screening schedule.