Looking after your teeth as you get older

When we are young, our parents teach us to take care of our teeth. They tell us how important it is to visit the dentist, not to eat too many sweets and to brush our teeth at least twice a day. After all we only get one set of natural teeth.

So once we have our healthy adult teeth through, can we be more relaxed about our teeth and oral hygiene? Is it less important to visit the dentist as an adult?

The answer is we have to take even MORE care of our teeth as inadequate dental care is the major cause of oral diseases which can result in losing teeth.  Oral hygiene can also have a negative impact on a person’s physical health.

! A person with gum disease are twice as likely to develop coronary artery disease or heart disease.

! Pneumonia has also been linked to poor oral care as the bacteria droplets from the mouth end up in the lungs.

! If you have diabetes, advanced gum disease can interfere with our body’s ability to use insulin.

! Saliva keeps the mouth moist and helps protect teeth from decay, if we need to take medications, these can sometimes have the side effect of a dry mouth.

We always recommend visiting your dentist regularly but between visits your must drink water to re-hydrate your mouth and keep it from drying out, brush frequently with a toothpaste containing fluoride and avoid excessive sugar products.   Using a tongue scraper, dental floss and a good mouthwash is also very important.