Six Ways to Maintain Healthy Teeth As You Get Older

Maintaining healthy teeth should be a top priority for everyone. As you advance in age, it’s only to be expected that your body, including your mouth, teeth and gums, will require a greater amount of special care.  Well, that is if they are to function properly and comfortably.

If you don’t maintain healthy teeth, this can lead to cavities or the loss of your teeth as you age.  This can cause an unattractive smile, or worse can make it hard to chew your food.

How to Maintain Healthy Teeth As You Age

Getting older is something that everyone has to deal with. With each year that rolls around, maintaining routine dental care should become more important.

Different oral issues may begin to emerge which can make it more difficult to maintain healthy teeth.

These include:

• Darkened teeth
• Damaged teeth surfaces
• Drier mouth
• Diminishing taste
• Gums receding or shrinking back
• Gum disease
• Root decay
• Tooth loss

While dental problems are nothing to smile about, you can certainly do something to keep your mouth feeling and looking younger, no matter what your age. Start taking even better care of your teeth now by following these dental care tips from the oral care experts in Dubai.

1. Eat healthy food to Maintain Healthy Teeth
   

What you choose to eat can help maintain healthy teeth. Eat foods with antioxidant properties like fruits, vegetables, and legumes which can improve your body’s ability to fight off bacteria and inflammation.

There are foods that can help you defend against tooth decay. For instance, fresh cranberries can hinder the bonding of oral bacteria before they form into damaging plaque. Other foods with beneficial effects on your oral health include:

• Calcium-fortified juices and other dairy products – These are rich in calcium and vitamin D which help promote healthy teeth and reduce the risk of tooth loss.
• Fruits and raw vegetables – Apples, carrots, and celery help clean plaque from your teeth and freshen breath.

2. Brush after every meal.

Brushing your teeth becomes more crucial to maintain healthy teeth as you age because your enamel starts to wear away. Choose a brush that has soft bristles so that it’s easier on your gums. You’ll know it’s the right brush when it fits comfortably in your hand.

If you find it difficult to hold your toothbrush for the recommended two- or three-minute cleaning, try to wrap your brush with something that can widen the grip, like a shirt or small towel.

You may also want to consider using an electric toothbrush, which is less difficult to use. As you brush, use a 45-degree angle and don’t scrub too hard as doing so can cause your gums to recede.

3. Floss daily to Maintain Healthy Teeth
   

Flossing will help you clean hard-to-reach areas that you would otherwise miss when brushing. To floss well, consider these steps:

• Use a piece of floss as long as your arm.
• Wrap the floss around your middle fingers while leaving about 2 inches in between.
• Use your index fingers to guide the floss in between your teeth.
• As you floss along, don’t forget to scrape the side of every tooth several times to remove plaque.

Make sure that you use a new section of floss for each of your teeth. If you’re having trouble holding the floss due to arthritis or shaking, consider using a flossing aid or dental tape.

4. Have missing teeth replaced.

Tooth implants are an excellent recent advancement in dentistry used to substitute for missing teeth. Although the procedure can be more costly than dentures, the result is long-lasting.

A dentist will make this procedure work by attaching a metal post into your jawbone. Next, he will attach the dental implants by screwing them into place.

Once the implants are completely attached, your dentist will shade these implants so that they match your natural teeth, and then sand them to match your bite.

Most people who have dental implants forget that they have those at all because they seem like natural teeth. Below are other benefits you can enjoy when you try out this innovative option:

• Prevent bone loss
• Restore bite force
• Prevent changes in your face shape
• Enable natural teeth
• No embarrassing slippage
• Easy care
• Support adjacent teeth
• Offer a permanent solution to tooth loss

5. Want Healthy Teeth.  Quit smoking
   

Smoking increases your risk for many health conditions, and these include gum disease and tooth decay. According to 30-year studies by Tufts University, smokers are about twice as likely to experience tooth loss compared to non-smokers.

While many people are aware of the bad effects of tobacco on general health, some may forget to consider its effects on oral health. The good news is that you can quit smoking and decrease your risk of tooth loss. To help you quit this habit, try asking your dentist about nicotine replacement therapies.

6. Keep up with dental appointments.

As you grow older, paying regular visits to your dentist is crucial in ensuring your healthy teeth remain that way. At least every six months, schedule regular dental cleanings and checkups. This is important, especially if you have started losing teeth.

Between appointments, don’t forget to report to your dentist any discomfort you feel, such as diminishing taste. Your dentist will also check for bumps or lumps and loose teeth that may lead to oral cancer.

Care for Healthy Teeth now

Are you going to wait until you see damage to your teeth in your later years before you start taking care of your teeth? It may be too late by then. If you’ve been procrastinating on brushing or flossing, now is the right time to get back on track.

By taking better care of your teeth now, you can ensure that your pearly whites are in great shape to serve you well in the future.

Author Bio

Dr. Zul Paliwalla is the General and Cosmetic British Dentist at NOA Dental Clinic, specializing in smile-related concerns. With over 33 years of experience in the UK, Dr. Zul has successfully worked on and improved many internationally recognized smiles. He is a certified Invisalign® GOLD provider as well and has brought his elite expertise to Dubai not only to enjoy the sun, sea and sand, but also to offer his brand of personalized smile makeovers.

Ken Weiss

Ken Weiss is a health blogger who is passionate about natural and holistic cures for men’s health issues. He is the founder of menshealthcures.com