Why Should You Take Care of Your Teeth as You Age?

While we all know that we need to take extra care of our bodies as we age, our teeth need tender loving care too. As we grow old, certain changes occur, leading to their deterioration if we don’t practice proper oral hygiene. 

Even though our teeth are only small parts of our overall bodies, they play a major role in maintaining and keeping our general health good and secure. You must understand the differences between them and important measures you must undertake to prevent poor oral health when you age. 

While we all know that we need to take extra care of our bodies as we age, our teeth need tender loving care too. As we grow old, certain changes occur, leading to their deterioration if we don’t practice proper oral hygiene. 

Even though our teeth are only small parts of our overall bodies, they play a major role in maintaining and keeping our general health good and secure. You must understand the differences between them and important measures you must undertake to prevent poor oral health when you age. 

Increased Wear and Tear

As you age, your teeth become more brittle and less resistant to wearing and tearing. If you look in the mirror, you would also notice your teeth becoming flatter and more irritated because of years of using them for chewing and biting. 

The constant grinding, chewing, and biting will lead to your teeth’s enamel (the hardest substance) wearing down, which ultimately increases your teeth’s brittleness. Other oral habits like bruxism can also contribute to the increased risk of your teeth to wear and tear. 

Increased Risk of Gum Diseases

Gum recession occurs as you age, leading to exposed teeth surfaces that make them more susceptible to bacteria and decay. When gum recession is coupled with poor oral hygiene, your oral cavity becomes more prone to gingivitis and periodontitis. The following are signs that can indicate a periodontal disease:

• Bleeding gums
• Your teeth are mobile or loose
• Your gums can pull back from your teeth
• Bad breath 

Poorly maintained oral hygiene can ultimately affect your bone, causing it to resorb. When bone resorption occurs, the support your teeth needs can also decrease, causing your teeth to move and become loose. 

Plaque Accumulation

As you age, your muscle control and movements are also affected, hindering you from properly brushing your teeth. If you have arthritis, it can also affect the movement of your joints which is crucial in toothbrushing. Poor oral hygiene can also cause plaque or food debris to accumulate on your teeth, causing decay and gum diseases. 

When plaque continuously accumulates, your gums can swell or become more reddish, which signals the start of progressing gingivitis. If you don’t take care of your teeth, gingivitis can progress to more complex gum disease and lead to tooth mobility and even tooth loss.

More Prone to Teeth Sensitivity

Another common tooth condition among old-aged people is teeth sensitivity. Your teeth become more sensitive to cold or hot food or beverages as you age. This happens because your enamel wears down as you grow old, causing it to become thinner. 

As the enamel thins out, the second hardest substance that protects your teeth is now the dentin. Thinned-out enamel causes your teeth to be more sensitive even during toothbrushing. Another cause of tooth sensitivity is gum recession. As your gum recedes, more tooth surfaces are exposed to the oral cavity, making them more sensitive to oral fluids and other external factors. 

Mouth Dries Out Often

As you age, saliva production decreases, often causing your mouths to dry out. Another factor contributing to dry mouths is the maintenance drugs for your hypertension or diabetes. A dry mouth can also lead to an increased risk of plaque accumulation and other side effects, including: 

• Bad breath
• Infected oral tissues
• Risk for tooth decay and gum diseases
• Difficulty in eating and swallowing

Reduced Nerve Sensitivity

Reduced nerve sensitivity is another phenomenon that can happen as you age. While this is advantageous because you may feel less pain when certain dental procedures are performed, detecting early problems in your oral cavity with reduced sensitivity also becomes more challenging. 

When your nerve sensitivity is reduced, it becomes difficult to notice and observe pain or any changes. Therefore, a dental problem may become worse before noticing it. 

Tips to Care for Your Teeth

As you become aware of the changes that occur to your oral cavity as you age, it’s time to know helpful tips to help you take extra care of your dentition, maintaining them even with old age. 

Reduce Acidic Food Intake

Now that you know that your teeth are more prone to wear and tear when you age, reduce the amount of acidic food or drinks you consume. Acidity can wear down enamel faster, leading to more serious dental problems such as cavities, tooth cracks, and more serious infections. 

Practice Good Oral Hygiene

The number one preventive factor of oral diseases is practicing good oral hygiene. It’s time to give importance to your toothbrushing method. 

Strictly brush your teeth twice a day and pair them with flossing. Flossing removes food debris in areas inaccessible by a toothbrush, more commonly on the sides of the teeth. It’s also important to use toothpaste with fluoride to maintain the strength of your teeth, preventing decay. 

You would normally see the fluoride content on the packaging of the toothpaste. An additional important piece of advice: don’t rinse after you brush your teeth, only spit. Doing this ensures that the fluoride from the toothpaste stays on your teeth to maximize their protection. 

Visit the Dentist Regularly

With your reduced nerve sensitivity, it’s essential to do regular checkups with your dentist to check if problems need to be addressed. Visit the dentist regularly for oral prophylaxis to ensure that your oral health is at its paramount. 

Take Good Care of Your Teeth

Your teeth need maximum protection and care even when you grow old. They ensure that you get to eat the food you love and speak confidently in a room full of people, and aging changes can worsen their condition. With the changes that occur as you age mentioned above, seek a dental consult immediately when you notice something happening and always practice the best oral hygiene there is. 

As you age, your teeth become more brittle and less resistant to wearing and tearing. If you look in the mirror, you would also notice your teeth becoming flatter and more irritated because of years of using them for chewing and biting. 

The constant grinding, chewing, and biting will lead to your teeth’s enamel (the hardest substance) wearing down, which ultimately increases your teeth’s brittleness. Other oral habits like bruxism can also contribute to the increased risk of your teeth to wear and tear. 

Increased Risk of Gum Diseases

Gum recession occurs as you age, leading to exposed teeth surfaces that make them more susceptible to bacteria and decay. When gum recession is coupled with poor oral hygiene, your oral cavity becomes more prone to gingivitis and periodontitis. The following are signs that can indicate a periodontal disease:

• Bleeding gums
• Your teeth are mobile or loose
• Your gums can pull back from your teeth
• Bad breath 

Poorly maintained oral hygiene can ultimately affect your bone, causing it to resorb. When bone resorption occurs, the support your teeth needs can also decrease, causing your teeth to move and become loose. 

Plaque Accumulation

As you age, your muscle control and movements are also affected, hindering you from properly brushing your teeth. If you have arthritis, it can also affect the movement of your joints which is crucial in toothbrushing. Poor oral hygiene can also cause plaque or food debris to accumulate on your teeth, causing decay and gum diseases. 

When plaque continuously accumulates, your gums can swell or become more reddish, which signals the start of progressing gingivitis. If you don’t take care of your teeth, gingivitis can progress to more complex gum disease and lead to tooth mobility and even tooth loss.

More Prone to Teeth Sensitivity

Another common tooth condition among old-aged people is teeth sensitivity. Your teeth become more sensitive to cold or hot food or beverages as you age. This happens because your enamel wears down as you grow old, causing it to become thinner. 

As the enamel thins out, the second hardest substance that protects your teeth is now the dentin. Thinned-out enamel causes your teeth to be more sensitive even during toothbrushing. Another cause of tooth sensitivity is gum recession. As your gum recedes, more tooth surfaces are exposed to the oral cavity, making them more sensitive to oral fluids and other external factors. 

Mouth Dries Out Often

As you age, saliva production decreases, often causing your mouths to dry out. Another factor contributing to dry mouths is the maintenance drugs for your hypertension or diabetes. A dry mouth can also lead to an increased risk of plaque accumulation and other side effects, including: 

• Bad breath
• Infected oral tissues
• Risk for tooth decay and gum diseases
• Difficulty in eating and swallowing

Reduced Nerve Sensitivity

Reduced nerve sensitivity is another phenomenon that can happen as you age. While this is advantageous because you may feel less pain when certain dental procedures are performed, detecting early problems in your oral cavity with reduced sensitivity also becomes more challenging. 

When your nerve sensitivity is reduced, it becomes difficult to notice and observe pain or any changes. Therefore, a dental problem may become worse before noticing it. 

Tips to Care for Your Teeth

As you become aware of the changes that occur to your oral cavity as you age, it’s time to know helpful tips to help you take extra care of your dentition, maintaining them even with old age. 

Reduce Acidic Food Intake

Now that you know that your teeth are more prone to wear and tear when you age, reduce the amount of acidic food or drinks you consume. Acidity can wear down enamel faster, leading to more serious dental problems such as cavities, tooth cracks, and more serious infections. 

Practice Good Oral Hygiene

The number one preventive factor of oral diseases is practicing good oral hygiene. It’s time to give importance to your toothbrushing method. 

Strictly brush your teeth twice a day and pair them with flossing. Flossing removes food debris in areas inaccessible by a toothbrush, more commonly on the sides of the teeth. It’s also important to use toothpaste with fluoride to maintain the strength of your teeth, preventing decay. 

You would normally see the fluoride content on the packaging of the toothpaste. An additional important piece of advice: don’t rinse after you brush your teeth, only spit. Doing this ensures that the fluoride from the toothpaste stays on your teeth to maximize their protection. 

Visit the Dentist Regularly

With your reduced nerve sensitivity, it’s essential to do regular checkups with your dentist to check if problems need to be addressed. Visit the dentist regularly for oral prophylaxis to ensure that your oral health is at its paramount. 

Take Good Care of Your Teeth

Your teeth need maximum protection and care even when you grow old. They ensure that you get to eat the food you love and speak confidently in a room full of people, and aging changes can worsen their condition. With the changes that occur as you age mentioned above, seek a dental consult immediately when you notice something happening and always practice the best oral hygiene there is.