As you start to get older, it is completely normal that your body will undergo changes that affect your hair, your skin, your muscles and bones, and, most importantly, your teeth. Not only can these changes to your teeth make you look your age and make you lose confidence in your appearance, but you might also start to find that you develop dental health issues over time. To make sure that your dental health is good throughout your retirement, read on for more information.
Visit Your Dentist
Many people ignore the signs and symptoms of an underlying dental health condition for as long as possible, either out of fear or to check whether these symptoms are going to vanish of their own accord. However, when you start to notice problems with your teeth, it is paramount that you visit the dentist immediately, even if you have a phobia of the dentist’s surgery. Not only this, but if you are unhappy with an aspect of your aging teeth, such as discoloration or chips, you should think about seeking treatment to make you feel comfortable with your smile. You should find a Winnetka dentist who can give you the aesthetic treatments that you need to maintain a beautiful smile for longer.
Eat Healthy Foods
When you get older, it becomes more important than ever to eat healthy foods, as these can help to ward off life-threatening medical issues and can also allow you to maintain physical and cognitive energy for longer. However, healthy foods can also help you to prevent issues with your teeth. To look after your teeth, you should avoid acidic foods such as citrus and drinks that could stain your teeth, such as wine and coffee. You should also try to avoid salt as much as possible. Instead, you should look at eating naturally crunchy foods which can clean the bacteria away, such as cheese and broccoli, and consider drinking green tea or eating foods that contain a small amount of fluoride.
Look After Your Body
It is never too late to start looking after your body. For instance, you should make sure that you can maintain good personal hygiene to prevent infections and consider taking supplements to keep your hair, nails, and skin healthy and strong. However, looking after your body is especially important in terms of your teeth, which need dedicated care every day. As a senior, you should make sure that you brush your teeth for two minutes a day with fluoride toothpaste and that you floss or use a dental brush to clean between your teeth once a day. You should try to avoid overbrushing your teeth, though, as this can lead to the removal of enamel from your teeth, as well as receding gums.
Quit Bad Habits
Bad habits such as smoking and drinking an excessive amount of alcohol are bad for you in more ways than one. Not only can smoking increase your risk of lung cancer, and alcohol increases your chance of liver disease, but bad habits can also affect your skin and your teeth. Smoking can lead to more bacteria gaining a footing in your mouth and can kill off the good bacteria. This can lead to you having an increased chance of tooth decay, which in turn, can lead to loose teeth. Then, you should try to quit these bad habits. For instance, you should consider joining a quit smoking scheme or use a nicotine substitute.
Check for Signs of Health Issues
As you get older, you need to make sure that you are regularly checking your body for signs of potential health issues. Many of the health issues that you can develop as you age can be prevented from getting worse by being caught early. For instance, in terms of your dental health, you should check your teeth for signs of staining or brown plaque on your teeth, as well as receding gums, and make sure that you seek help if your teeth start to become more sensitive or if you are in pain, especially if this pain occurs when you bite down on food or drink water.
Be Aware of Medications
Although medication is usually given to you to restore your health and to help you to manage serious health conditions, medications can also give you a host of negative side effects, which can make your life difficult. For instance, some medications are known for causing dry mouth. This dry mouth can leave your teeth at risk of decay as food will be left in your mouth after eating, and acids will erase the enamel on your teeth without anything to wash them away and clean your teeth in the process.
Avoid Over the Counter Products
For minor health issues, many people decide that they do not need the help of a professional and decide that they will treat their health condition themselves by buying over-the-counter products. Although these over-the-counter products can be effective, they can also have some harmful effects if they are not recommended by a professional first. For instance, many people decide that they are going to whiten their teeth using over-the-counter whitening products. However, these can cause damage to your teeth by removing their enamel. Therefore, you should always research the over-the-counter products that you buy well or consider getting prescriptions or treatment from your medical or dental professional instead.
