The importance of looking after our oral health as we get older
As we get older, we need to intensify our healthcare because our organs weaken over time, and they need more attention.
The same applies to oral health; when we reach old age, it becomes more important than ever to look after our teeth and our oral health.
And the thing is that it is more than likely that as the years go by the stimuli that reach the dental nerves will be reduced by the closing or occlusion of the exposed dentinal tubules. This will cause our teeth lose sensitivity, which means that there is a higher probability that we will not notice the irritation or the pain in our teeth caused by tooth decay.
But do not worry, because getting older does not mean that you will lose your teeth. Teeth can last a lifetime if we look after them properly.
Advice about looking after and improving your oral health
Oral health in the over-65s is even more important because of the health problems that can arise in this period of our lives. These problems can carry a greater risk and the consequences can be more serious and can lead to even more serious health problems.
It is for this reason that we need to put into practice a series of measures and precautions to take care of our health and prevent future diseases.
We are now going to give some advice that you should put into practice to prevent oral health problems from appearing.
And you know what they say, health begins in your mouth.
You should clean your teeth each time you eat to prevent food debris from lodging between your teeth and forming dental plaque.
The reality is that it is not possible to reach all the spaces with a toothbrush and so you should use dental floss or some other type of interdental cleaner at least once a day to clean the interdental spaces.
If you use a completely or partially removable dental prothesis, you should pay special attention when cleaning it. You should clean it on a daily basis. Furthermore, you should remove the prothesis from your mouth for at least four hours each day. Ideally, you should remove it at night.
If you are a smoker, now is the time to start thinking about quitting. Tobacco increases the risk of suffering serious illnesses, and it also increases the likelihood of gum disease, tooth decay and tooth loss.
You should visit your dentist on a regular basis because frequent check-ups by a specialist will reduce considerably the risk of suffering mouth diseases.
If you adopt some healthy oral habits at home, if you make intelligent diet and lifestyle decisions and if you seek dental assistance on a regular basis, you can contribute to making sure that your teeth last a lifetime.
How do previous diseases affect our oral health?
Gums get weaker over time, and this causes some of our teeth to be left without the protection that they once had. This results in an increased sensitivity to certain foods or the different temperatures of foods or beverages. When you notice this feeling, it is important to visit the odontologist to find a solution.
But the passing of time does not only affect the state of your teeth and your oral health, as the appearance of common illnesses such as diabetes or heart conditions can affect the health of your mouth, and accordingly you should inform the dentist of any illnesses that you may have and the medication that you are taking to fight them.
Certain medicines can result in the appearance of oral diseases that are common in older people, such as dryness in the mouth which can damage teeth and mucosa. If this happens, you should visit your odontologist to arrange a treatment for these complications.
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