One of the great myths about aging and oral health is the belief that losing teeth is a normal and inevitable part of the aging process.
If you think so, you are completely wrong, your teeth can and should remain healthy throughout your life and in this article I will explain how, starting with basic rules and continuing with a series of procedures that today do wonders to reverse all the signs of aging. on your teeth.
I always thought that people should be informed in order to be co-responsible for their health, both dental and general.
I opened my practice 35 years ago and as a result I have many patients in their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and even 90s that I have followed for a long time and I am happy to say that rarely extract a tooth ( only when it can´t be saved)
and that my patients keep their smiles over the years.
Here are some facts related to aging and tips on how to prevent them:
Dental cavities
As the years go by, the gums recede, exposing parts of the tooth surface not covered by protective enamel. In addition to this fact, the spaces left by gingival recession will be occupied by food and bacteria, thus creating the conditions for the appearance of root cavities, a problem that mainly affects the elderly population.
These cavities evolve very quickly and often lead to the loss of teeth that have remained healthy for a lifetime.
In order to avoid tooth decay we have to:
- Have good oral hygiene, the foundation of a healthy mouth at any age. All tooth surfaces must be thoroughly cleaned with effective brushing technique and the use of dental floss or interdental brushes.
- Avoid sweet, acidic foods and drinks or sticky carbohydrates (cookies, etc.) that stick to the tooth structure, favoring its degradation.
- See your Dentist annually. (To detect these cavities and other dental problems, observe the state of your gums and look for lesions on the mucous membranes and tongue)
- Oral Hygiene appointment every six months. for cleaning, review of your brushing technique and use of dental floss and possibly topical fluoride application.
Gum disease
It is known that Periodontal Disease starts at a much earlier stage of life, progressing more or less silently (gums that bleed, which unfortunately many people still consider normal…) until,
from the age of 50, its effects become more apparent with:
- receding gums
- Appearance of dark triangles between teeth (in areas previously occupied by gingival papilla)
- Loss of bone that supports the tooth with increased tooth mobility and formation of periodontal pockets and abscesses.
As already mentioned in the previous point, it is also essential if we want to maintain good gum health, to have meticulous oral hygiene habits and to be particularly attentive as the years go by.
It is a good idea to buy an electric toothbrush, which is more effective than manual brushing and compensates for some loss of motor efficiency associated with advancing age.
Always complement brushing with cleaning of interdental surfaces with dental tape and/or brushes.
As already mentioned, see your dentist once a year and have an oral hygiene appointment every 6 months.
It has long been known that there is a link between Periodontal Disease and Heart Disease. Periodontal disease gives rise to a chronic inflammatory state that will contribute to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques within the arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack, Alzheimer’s disease and some forms of arthritis, among others.
Dry mouth (Xerostomia)
Dry mouth can be a serious problem as the years go by, both because of a decrease in the production of saliva by the salivary glands and because of taking some medications that are very common at this age. (Antidepressants, medication for Parkinson’s, high blood pressure) which can reduce the flow of saliva ( it is advisable to check with your doctor if there are alternatives that do not have these side effects).
Saliva contains minerals and immune cells that help protect your teeth from decay and keep your gums healthy.
You should stay hydrated by drinking about 1.5L of water a day and avoid sugary foods, particularly sucking on sweets or eating foods that stick to your teeth.
Saliva substitutes: There are products on the market in spray or gel form that provide some relief and a protective effect.
Oral cancer
Despite being relatively uncommon, constituting around 2.8% of all cancers, it is very important that your screening is always present in your routine consultation with your dentist.
Warning signs can be: persistent ulcers, hardened areas, areas of tissue growth, lesions that do not heal, tooth mobility, pain, paresthesia (loss of sensitivity), dysphagia (difficulty in swallowing), white and red lesions, lymphadenopathy (lymph nodes augmented).
What to do:
- Cessation of tobacco consumption;
- Decreased alcohol consumption;
- Regular consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits as a protective factor;
- Regular visits to the dentist that allow such injuries to be diagnosed in their earliest stages.
In short, to keep your teeth healthy you must:
- Limit the consumption of sweet foods and drinks and carbohydrates (not only will you be taking care of your teeth but your health in general will thank you).
- Have a varied and balanced diet with rich foods that stimulate your immune system and promote the existence of a balanced and protective oral flora such as fermented foods (Kefir, yogurt, some cheeses) or foods that improve your immunity (raw garlic, coconut oil, green leafy vegetables, vitamin D), your whole body will thank you.
- Brush and use dental floss or brushes twice a day.
- Regular appointment with your dentist once a year, and twice with the Dental Hygienist.
- If you still smoke, stop smoking.
Now that we have the basics covered, let’s go through the instruments we have to protect and rejuvenate your dentition.
It is essential at any age to replace the loss of one or more teeth.
Even if they are not visible and apparently you can even continue to chew well, every time a tooth is lost, the whole occlusion balance is jeopardized: neighboring teeth begin to migrate and create situations that are much more difficult and expensive to deal with.
Whenever possible, we opt for rehabilitation with a fixed prosthesis, either on natural teeth or on implants. (See case Fixed oral rehabilitation of the lower jaw) The advantages are countless, from the functional part to the aesthetics. (See Oral Rehabilitation case)
Removable prostheses (common dentures) in addition to being functionally less effective are always a foreign body inside the mouth and could potentially damage the teeth on which they rest, with a domino effect of tooth loss.
With regard to patients who have been losing teeth throughout their lives and who already have removable prostheses, whether partial or total (See the case Total fixed rehabilitation on upper jaw implants), the change to a fixed prosthesis, although representing a financial effort, represents a great improvement in terms of quality of life (and potential survival of remaining teeth).
If this hypothesis is completely out of your reach then you should keep your removable dentures well-fitted and meticulously clean every day. (the remains of food and bacterial plaque that
accumulate on dentures contribute to bad breath, cavities in neighboring teeth and inflammation of the mucosa, known as denture stomatitis)
Another important detail is that you should not sleep with the dentures, your mucosa will thank you.
Implants
Age is not a contraindication for implant placement. In my clinic I quite often place implants in patients in their sixties, seventies or eighties without any problems.
Good planning is essential, with exact knowledge of the amount and type of bone that we are going to find, as is the surgeon’s experience obviously,in order to have the least invasive and traumatic approach possible.
Knowledge of the medication the patient is taking, namely blood thinners, is also very important.
One of the main indications of ceramic veneers is teeth rejuvenation (Smile Lifting). (See case Meeting the patient demands)
It is true that it is often a mostly aesthetic treatment, but in this age group, it is much more than that, it is replacing lost tooth structure, protecting the tooth and improving function.
With age inevitably the enamel (outer layer of the tooth) is being worn down. Using adhesive ceramics (whether with ceramic veneers or with overlays or adhesive crowns) we can correct this wear, thus protecting worn teeth and making them stronger.
If there is a procedure in which time goes backwards, it is this one, being one of my favorite interventions for several reasons:
- It practically does not require tooth wear.
- It corrects the signs of dental aging (what I call “tooth wrinkles”: changes in color, small fractures, shortening of the teeth, gaps between the teeth, etc.) (See the case of Smile Lifting)
- Restores the original shape of the tooth.
- Replacement of enamel worn by use and Bruxism (habit of grinding teeth at night) (See case Bruxism – Smile Lift – Veneers)
Life expectancy is now much higher than in the past, but the years gained must be years lived with quality of life.
If you maintain good oral health, you are contributing a lot to your general health, your self-esteem and your quality of life.
