As we get older, we may begin to worry about the health of our smile. Quite frankly, our lifespans have increased significantly over the last century, much longer than our mouths were designed to last. Much like with the growth of our third molars during adolescence, our bodies are simply not evolutionarily prepared to keep a set of teeth for many decades after adulthood.
For this reason, after the age of 50, your dental health becomes more serious in nature due to the development of osteoporosis. This condition describes the loss of bone density due to age, and this is not a very rare occurrence in our aging population. Around half of all women over this age will break a bone sometime in their lifetime due to the weakening of this material. And the rates for men are still high enough that you cannot ignore it, either.
Today, your Seattle, WA dentist explains some of the steps that you can take to ensure that you are able to keep as much of your natural smile as possible as you age. Follow along for more information!
Unseen Changes
One of the most dangerous qualities of osteoporosis is the fact that we are unable to see any deterioration in bone matter with the naked eye. If you are not currently undergoing routine bone scans, there is not a reasonable way to casually see the state of any regression.
Women are especially susceptible to a decrease in bone density, but if you are male, that does not mean that you can ignore this condition. About half of women will be affected, but still, around a quarter of men will suffer a break due to age-related density loss. Be sure to take a little more time for you than you may have when you were 20, and this includes maintaining dental hygiene.
Preserve Your Biology
When you lose density in your jaw, you understandably become more at risk of damage to your oral health. There is, of course, the increased risk of damage due to trauma or physical damage. If you are in a car wreck at 60, you are more likely to cause serious concern than in the same wreck for a 30 year-old.
Beyond any accident, you may also experience a loosening of the teeth. Our jaws hold these to our face very tightly, so even the slightest loss of this material can lead to serious risk. Restorative dentistry can do wonders, but we would like to keep your natural material safe as much as we possibly can.
Take Care And See Your Dentist
As we age, it is important that we take the time for precautions in our osteopathic health. The first thing to remember is to maintain a healthy diet, with lots of fruits and vegetables. The more diversity in your produce, the better for your oral health, usually. We depend on many different vitamins and nutrients in order to keep our mouths safe.
You need at least 1000 mg of calcium daily, and if your diet cannot support this, you may need a supplement. But ideally, this will come from a food source. Also, 600 IU of Vitamin D is necessary to maintain strong skeletal matter.
And like with any other patient, brush your teeth fully twice every day, as well as flossing regularly and using an oral rinse. Smoking and alcohol consumption may also contribute to problems, so please quit!
Don’t Wait Any Longer!
Schedule an appointment today! Call Ballard Neighborhood Dentist office in Seattle, WA, today at 206-789-2555. We also proudly serve the residents of Shoreline, Edmonds, Crown Hill, Loyal Heights, and all surrounding communities.
