No matter what your age, you can have white, healthy and disease-free teeth and gums if you look after them.
If you really want to keep your teeth and mouth healthy as you age, one of the best things you can do is stop drinking sweet carbonated drinks like Coke, Lemonade etc. The next is to cut the amount of white bread, sugary and starchy foods and sugary drinks out of your diet.
Medications have an impact
Did you know that many common medications that leave you with a dry mouth put you at higher risk of tooth decay and infection? Reduced saliva tends to create a dry, acidic mouth making it that much easier for harmful bacteria to thrive. Using fluoride toothpaste and mouth washes can help reduce that risk and keep your teeth healthy. So can sipping water and chewing sugarless gum.
Tobacco
If you are a smoker or chew tobacco products, you are also at higher risk of gum disease occurring along and beneath the gum baseline. Gum disease is a problem because it can cause infection to both the gums and the bone that keep teeth in place.
Drinking a lot of tea, coffee, soft drinks and smoking stain teeth, but regular dentist visits will help you stay on top of this.
Apart from disease and poor oral hygiene, other causes of tooth loss include recreational drugs, hormonal changes, too much alcohol, poor nutrition and some prescription medications.
Eating late at night is another no-no because it’s not only bad for your teeth, but increases the risk of diabetes.