A handful of individuals assume that gum disease and tooth loss are inevitable as they age. However, what if we told you that you have the capacity to secure your oral health as you age? What if we told you that you’re not looking for dentures?
Here are some tips to help you keep your teeth strong and healthy as you age. We will also talk about how to secure your gums so that you can maintain good overall health.
Brush and Floss Every Day
It is important that you brush your teeth twice a day and floss once daily. Doing this will help eliminate plaque.
Plaque is an invisible film of bacteria that resides inside your mouth. As it absorbs sugar, it creates an acid that erodes your tooth enamel and attacks your gums.
Even if you wear dentures, then it is important that you continue brushing your gums and any remaining teeth. That way, you’ll help prevent plaque from building up inside your mouth and causing problems.
Manage Dry Mouth
It’s not unusual for elderly adults to experience dry mouth due to certain medications. While it may seem odd to think about, saliva helps wash away bacteria and food particles. With less saliva, you may be more vulnerable to oral health issues. This is the reason it’s important to make certain that you’re drinking enough water.
If you experience dry mouth, then let’s dentists know during your next appointment. They’ll be able to recommend products that will assist you manage dry mouth. Taking care of oral health issues as they arise will help you maintain a strong, healthy smile.
Take Decent Care of Your Gums
While this blog article is about how to keep your teeth strong, it is important to understand that your teeth are part of an interconnected system. In this sense, taking care of your teeth will also help you maintain healthy teeth.
Schedule an appointment with us if you have bleeding, sore, or swollen gums. The sooner we discover gum disease, the sooner we can help you restore your oral health.
While gingivitis (gum inflammation) is reversible, we can’t say the same about periodontitis. Periodontitis is a serious gum infection. Even though a dentist can manage the symptoms of periodontitis through scaling and root planing, they can’t reverse the problem.
The very best way to take care of your teeth is to brush your teeth twice a day and floss once a day. This can keep down the amount of plaque in your mouth, which will help prevent gum disease.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 64.7 million Americans have periodontitis! The good news is that this condition is preventable as long as you practice good oral hygiene.
Having healthy gums will help support and hold your teeth in place so you’re less prone to losing your teeth as you age. If you wear dentures, having healthy gums will also help support your oral appliance so you can eat and talk with ease.
Quit Smoking
Were you aware that smoking suppresses your immune system? It also suppresses the body’s natural ability to heal itself. This makes it harder for your body to fight bacteria that can lead to gum disease and tooth decay.
If you smoke, then you also have a higher risk of getting oral and/or throat cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that over 53,000 Americans may get oral and/or throat cancer this year. Fortunately, dentists offer oral cancer screenings to find this condition early. An oral cancer screening could save your life!