How to Maintain Healthy Teeth as You Age

Your body changes as you age. Along with additional aches and pains, there are changes to your body's cells, tissues, and organs. All of the changes within your body, along with certain medications, affect your dental health. Fortunately, with effort, you can help stem or offset some of these changes and maintain healthy teeth and gums. Here are a few suggestions you may want to maintain or implement. 

Remember to Hydrate

As you age, you are more at risk for dry mouth. This condition can occur due to the following:

• Age
• Medications
• Health Conditions
• Side effects of specific treatments

When you are dehydrated, it decreases the amount of saliva in your mouth, which plays an essential role in maintaining good oral health. While some people see saliva as spit, it is much more than that. Your saliva helps you chew and swallow your food, washes damaging sugars and acids off your teeth, and helps your gums remain healthy.

There are many opinions on the market regarding how much water you need to drink daily. While many schools of thought teach you to need eight glasses per day, others teach you to base your water consumption on your weight. Mayo Clinic reports that women need approximately 11.5 cups per day and men need 15.5 cups per day. 

Maintain Regular Cleanings

While professional dental cleanings are essential throughout your life, they are even more critical as you age. Older people are at a higher risk of root cavities, which are often harder to identify and treat than ordinary cavities due to their location and depth.

As you age, you are also at a higher risk of periodontal or gum disease. Bacteria found in dental plaque cause periodontal disease. The longer this plaque is allowed to remain on your teeth, the greater your risk for periodontal disease, which could lead to other health issues.

No matter how good an oral care routine is, it does not take the place of professional cleanings. Make sure you schedule these at least twice yearly, if not more often. Regular cleanings will help keep your teeth clean but can also help prevent gum disease, which is a leading cause of tooth loss. 

Make Your Dentist a Part of Your Health Care Team

Your dentist will identify potential problems before they become significant problems. Did you know that each year, approximately 54,000 new cases of oral or oropharyngeal cancers are diagnosed in the U.S.? Most of these cancers are easily treatable if when discovered early. 

X-rays and oral cancer screenings are part of your professional cleanings and checkups, but your dental health may indicate much more. Your mouth is often one of the first places that signs and symptoms of other conditions show up. Some of these conditions include the following:

• Heart Disease
• Cancer
• Diabetes

It is vital to make sure your dentist is aware of other health issues and medications you take so they can coordinate your care with your other doctors.

Follow Your Treatment Plan

If you are doing everything you can to maintain good oral health, you still need to follow the treatment plan you and your dentist create. For example, promptly replacing a loose or missing tooth with a dental implant can prevent your teeth from shifting, keep your adjacent teeth stable, and prevent or slow down bone loss. 

At Smiles by Hogan, we are committed to providing dental care as you age. We have years of experience working with older adults and offer all the necessary services. Give us a call today so that we can partner with you in maintaining your oral health.