How to look after your teeth as you get older

It is important to look after your teeth, especially as you grow older. Through the years, your mouth will undergo wear and tear, which can have quite a detrimental effect on your teeth. In this article, we will explore how to keep your mouth healthy as you get older and provide tips for proper oral care, so you can be sure your smile will age as gracefully as you do!

Avoiding damage over time

As strong as your teeth may be, they can still be eroded and damaged over time. Factors such as chewing and biting, bruxism and chips in teeth all cumulatively contribute over time, flattening the surface of your teeth and eroding away the enamel.

To avoid the damage caused to your teeth over the years from getting any worse, it is best to consult your dentist about any treatment you may need, or may need in the future, such as orthodontic work. It is good practice to see you dentist regularly, at least once every six months. If you would feel more comfortable with more regular appointments, your dentist can accommodate that too.

Wearing a mouth guard at night is another good precaution to take as you get older, to prevent the grinding of your teeth (bruxism), which can greatly damage the teeth over a long period time.

Keep a healthy diet

Acidic food and drink products can have a big detrimental effect on your teeth, especially as you get older. It is therefore imperative to keep a well-balanced diet, and avoid food and drinks that contain a high sugar content.

Keeping your gums healthy

Keeping your gums clean and healthy is very important, as it fights off harmful acids and plaque that erode your teeth to form cavities. If left untreated, the plaque can begin attacking the gumline, causing irritation, bleeding and damage to even the bone which is located underneath the tooth.

If this develops any further, you could suffer from periodontitis, which is an advanced stage of gum disease. This disease carries many unwanted symptoms with it, such as:

• Loose teeth
• Bleeding gums
• Bad breath
• Receding gum line
• Gums pulling away from teeth

This is preventable through keeping a good oral hygiene routine, stopping smoking and regular dental check-ups.

Keeping your mouth moist

The saliva found inside your mouth has a very important role to play. It assists with digesting and breaking down foods whilst eating, and washes away a lot of the excess debris left over from eating. However, as you get older you produce less saliva, meaning that the risk of developing infections and diseases in the mouth are raised. This can also be caused by a lot of prescribed drugs as a common side effect.

You can resolve this issue by staying hydrated through out the day by drinking plenty of water, chewing sugar free gum or talking to your doctor about altering the medication you are currently on.

If you are worried about your oral health, why not contact Ascent Dental Care Solihull today, to see how we can help you!

Looking for more information?

Require a dental appointment, or are looking for cosmetic surgery such as teeth whitening in Solihull, why not contact Ascent Dental Care Solihull today, for a tailored and friendly service.