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You can tell a lot about your teen from their oral health, says a new American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) report. Many teenage health problems—eating disorders, smoking, drug use, sexually transmitted diseases—can be uncovered by examining their mouth, teeth and gums, the AAP says in a clinical report titled "Oral Health for Adolescents."

"A teenager's oral health offers a window into their overall well-being," said report co-author Dr. Cora Collette Breuner, a professor of pediatrics at Seattle Children's Hospital.

"As pediatricians, we might catch a chronic illness that presents early as an oral health condition or identify a condition that requires the immediate attention of a dentist," Breuner said in a news release. "The pediatrician can also counsel patients on how to prevent injury during sports and recreational activities, such as wearing a properly fitted mouth guard."

During the teenage years, boys and girls have a higher risk of age-related dental problems like the need to remove impacted wisdom teeth, have braces fitted or wear a mouth guard due to improper jaw movement, the report says. Teens also face many everyday dental challenges if they don't regularly brush and floss, including cavities, bad breath and inflamed gums.

"The adolescent years are a critical time for instilling good habits, like twice-daily toothbrushing and regular dental visits," lead researcher Dr. Susan Fisher-Owens, a professor of pediatrics with the University of California, San Francisco, said in a news release.

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