Sometimes, even with proper oral health habits, aging and years of wear and tear can take a toll on your teeth. In this blog, we’ll discuss some ways to protect your teeth as you age.
VOTED GERMANTOWN'S TOP DENTIST
Your Teeth as You Age
Dentist Germantown
Don’t cause unnecessary tooth damage.
Years of biting and chewing will ultimately wear down the enamel of your teeth—it’s an inevitable part of aging. While there’s not much you can do to stop this process, there are ways to slow it down, especially when it comes to avoiding further damage to your teeth and enamel.
Avoiding hard, super-crunchy foods (ice, hard candy), highly acidic foods (lemons and oranges), and other enamel-damaging foods and beverages will help your enamel sustain its health so you can continue chewing without sensitivity for years to come.
Sustain your gum health.
Everyone deals with bacteria and plaque in their mouths on a daily basis—it’s what you do about it that matters. As you age, the likelihood of developing periodontal disease (also known as gum disease) increases, and if left untreated, can causes bleeding, soreness, and bad breath, as well as serious damage to your teeth and jaw.
If you suspect you have periodontal disease, even if it’s a mild case, it’s best to pay your dentist a visit to treat the problem before it gets any worse.
Keep your mouth moist.
Saliva is a natural protector of your mouth, cleaning your teeth and protecting your mouth from tooth decay and other oral health ailments. But as you age, many everyday “maintenance” medications can dry out your oral cavity, increasing the likelihood of tooth decay and making it difficult to talk, chew, and swallow.
Drinking water is one of the best ways to moisturize your mouth, especially if you hold the water in your mouth for a few seconds before you swallow it. If this doesn’t help your dry mouth, talk to doctor about switching to medications that don’t have dry mouth as a side effect.
Take care of sensitive teeth.
Years of hot cups of coffee, cold glasses of water, and aggressive brushing often factor into worn tooth enamel—and with worn tooth enamel comes increased teeth sensitivity, discomfort, and pain. While great dental care is the best way to prevent this problem, hindsight is 20-20—so stopping by your dentist’s office for topical treatments and using toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth are the best ways to curb the effects of sensitive teeth.
Be wary of sugars and acids.
Sugars and acids don’t just break down tooth enamel on their own—they cause biological reactions that actually generate more sugar and acid in your mouth. Citrus fruits, juice, soda (a killer combination of sugar and acid), tomatoes, and of course, candy destroy tooth enamel with ease, so it’s important to avoid these foods when possible, or to eat milk, cheese, or other low-acid foods right after you consume high-acid foods to counteract the acid’s effects.
Talk to your Germantown dentist!
At Clopper’s Mill Dental Care, we understand that aging teeth can make everyday activities more and more difficult over time. That’s why we offer advanced treatment options, quality customer service, and the best oral health advice to keep your teeth happy and healthy for years to come. Get in touch with to schedule an appointment today!