As you grow older, maintaining good oral health continues to be important. In addition to seeing your dentist regularly, you should maintain everyday oral hygiene that helps prevent gum disease and decay. In addition to causing issues with your teeth and gums, these conditions can have a negative impact on your overall health.

Dental Health and Whole-Body Health

Oral and dental health are important not only in maintaining your teeth and gums, but in preventing problems such as heart disease and cardiovascular disease. Gum disease has been found to increase the risk of cardiovascular problems. Bacteria that builds up in the mouth if you have severe decay or gum disease can pass into the rest of the body, causing inflammation in the cardiovascular system. This can lead to severe and even fatal illness. [pullquote]Oral and dental health are important not only in maintaining your teeth and gums, but in preventing problems such as heart disease and cardiovascular disease.[/pullquote]

Making sure your teeth are strong and healthy also helps ensure that you can eat a healthy diet. With healthy teeth, or with high quality replacements, you will be able to eat all the foods your normally would, including high fiber fruits and vegetables that can be difficult to eat if your teeth are missing or suffering from decay. Regular visits to your dentist can help ensure that any problems are diagnosed and treated early.

Repair and Replacement

If you do have missing teeth, having them replaced will help you maintain your smile, the health of your jaw, and your regular diet. Damage to teeth should also be treated before your teeth are severely damaged or become uncomfortable and affect your ability to eat. Missing teeth can be replaced with implants, dentures, or bridges, depending upon the situation and the recommendation of your dentist. Damage to your teeth is addressed with restorations such as crowns or fillings. Internal damage, which can lead to severe discomfort due to nerve damage, is often repaired with a root canal.

If you have any questions about keeping your teeth healthy as you grow older, please contact our dental team at the doctor Family Dentistry to schedule an appointment or a consultation.