Teen hygiene

Shaving
Most teenage boys start showing facial hair between the ages of fourteen and sixteen. The first growth is usually on the outer edges of the upper lip. Moustaches fill in toward the centre. Soft hair on the upper cheeks and just below the centre of the lower lip appears next. Sideburns may also grow at this time. Chin hair grows in last. With your teen's maturation, his facial hair grows thicker and darker.

Some young men show the full extent of their potential beard by the time they're eighteen. Others don't develop their full facial beard until ten years after puberty. A young man's first razor is an important rite of passage that acknowledges his transition to a new stage of maturity. Some teens have to shave every day; others rarely need to pick up a razor. Both are normal.

For girls, shaving is also a rite of passage. Girls often begin shaving their legs and underarms as soon as the hair grows in during puberty. Since shaving does not affect the rate of hair growth or how thick it becomes, you might just respect your daughter's choice.

Dental hygiene
When they take on responsibility for remembering to brush and floss their teeth, teens can sometimes get lax about dental hygiene which can lead to bad breath and cavities. Between the ages of thirteen and sixteen, a teen's teeth are particularly prone to cavities.

You may have to continue to remind your teen to brush and floss his teeth, but beware — too much nagging can be counterproductive. But one measure you can take is to keep making regular appointments for him; your dentist and dental hygienist can reinforce the advantages of regular daily brushing and flossing as a means of avoiding other treatments on either teeth or gums in later years.