How an aging adult can keep all their teeth
It is sadly a widely accepted perception that you lose teeth as you age. This is a tragic misbelief. Your teeth are meant to last you your entire lifetime. Here are lesser-known ways to protect your teeth, especially for older, or aging adults.
GUM DISEASE
Many adults suffer from Gum disease without realising it. Treating your gum disease can contribute to the longevity of your teeth. Gum disease can progressively destroy the bones that hold the teeth, so don’t leave it untreated. Be aware of all aspects that may contribute to you losing your teeth and take steps to fix those issues.
MORE FREQUENT VISITS TO GENTLE DENTAL UMHLANGA
If you’re elderly and have chronic diseases, you may need a dental checkup more than once every six months. Speak to Dr Singh about personalising your visits, so that you stay ahead of tooth loss, which is almost always an unexpected event.
DRY-MOUTH SYNDROME
Dry mouth may be a symptom in people who take chronic medication. This may have a negative impact on teeth that need saliva for neutralising acids and protecting the enamels. Taking sips of water regularly may counter balance dry mouth syndrome. There are other solutions that the team at Gentle Dental Umhlanga can speck to about. Taking care of Dry Mouth syndrome will contribute to the longevity of your teeth.
SAVE BEFORE EXTRACTION
There are a number of ways to save a tooth before extraction. While many dentists take a trigger happy approach and lean heavily into extractions as a solution to a troubled tooth, here at Gentle Dental Umhlanga , we go through great lengths to save your tooth. Extraction as the last resort.
PRESERVE GUM REALESTATE
In the unfortunate event you do have to extract your tooth, the gum in the area shrinks, and the hole that your tooth lived in closes. A missing tooth, causes other teeth in the area to shift and can effect how your teeth function. It is also a major contributor the appearance of aging, as gums contribute to filling out the face, giving you a younger-looking facial structure. There are options to prevent this gum loss, such as implants, that take the space of your extracted tooth and preserve the shape of your gumline. Talk to us at Gentle Dental Umhlanga to find out more about this.
ADOPT HEALTHY HABITS
Make time to floss and clean a minimum of twice a day. If you are a smoker, research shows that smokers tend to loose teeth faster. Adopting heathy habits can ensure your teeth last your entire lifetime, even if you start later in life.
