Back to School Tips: Better Sleeping for Better Teeth -- And Grades

This one is for all the kids, but will help teenagers more than the rest. Did you know that according to one study, kids today get an hour less sleep, on average, than we did when we were young? It's not hard to see why -- it's perfectly normal for a kid these days to have school until 3pm, sports until 5, dinner, prime time TV (aka "family time") until 8 or 9, and then 3 hours of homework on top of that.

Add to that the fact that, around 14 or 15, a teen's internal clock changes to allow (and to a degree require) them to stay up later than they did before. But the times they are required to wake up in the morning don't budge -- and you can see the problem. If kids could sleep in an hour later in the morning, they'd be fine -- but they can't, and over the months and months of school, all those lost hours of sleep add up. So a good night's sleep is good for your kid's health.

So how can you help your child get to sleep a little earlier? Here are a few things you can do:

• Turn off all electronic screens at least an hour before bedtime. No TV, computer, iPod, tablet, smart phone -- nothing with an electronic screen.
• Have a story ready. It doesn't have to be in a book. A recording or someone to tell you a story will work, too, but having something for the brain to focus on that isn't the stress of the next day helps your brain relax and fall asleep.

Keep a regular schedule. Dinner at 6, shower at 9, in bed by 10, every night (assuming they have to be up at 6). Falling asleep should be as regular as waking up in the morning.

Naturally, you should schedule at least 8 hours for them to sleep each night.