Should college students worry about their dental hygiene?

A college student's lifestyle can adversely affect dental hygiene.

College students have busy schedules with their schoolwork, jobs and spending time with their friends and family. In order to keep up with their active lives, some buy energy drinks or something else with caffeine or sugar. What students may not realize is that their lifestyle could be damaging their teeth.

“Actually within the past couple years of college, I’ve developed three cavities and I never had any cavities before,” said CU Boulder senior Melissa Wait. “I’m not too sure why, but I probably have two or three cups of coffee and then at least two diet cokes.”

That doesn’t surprise a local dentist.

“Sipping on those all day can really wreak havoc on a mouth,” said Dr. Tara Rathburn, D.D.S. “Sometimes we’ll see a college student come in after a couple years after drinking a lot of sodas and just have eight to twelve cavities all at once.”

According to a recent survey conducted by CollegeHealth101, 72 percent of college students admitted that they should be taking better care of their teeth.

“I’m not as diligent with flossing as I used to be in high school,” said Wait.

As a student who participates in many extra-curricular activities and still manages an 18-credit course load, Wait understands why her fellow schoolmates might ignore their dental hygiene.

“There’s just not enough hours in a day to get the sleep you need,” said Wait. “You’ve got to substitute with coke or coffee or energy drinks or whatever it is that you like.”

And she remembers the advice her mother used to give.

“Until about the 7th grade I would say, which is kind of embarrassing, my mom would be like, ‘Smile,’ and check my teeth and make sure she thought I brushed them good enough,” said Wait.

A CBS interactive Web site said that oral health habits are developed during the early adult years and sets the pattern for life. Taking care of your teeth now with simple brushing and flossing can save you time, money and pain down the road.

“You find later in life that you have a lot of crowns, root canals, and fillings, so if that can be avoided, that’s always best,” said Rathburn.

A healthy mouth should have clean, white teeth, pink gums and a nice breath. A dentist can give you the tools that will help keep your mouth nice and healthy.