Our teeth age over time, just like any other part of the body. As our teeth age, it makes them more vulnerable to cracking, breaking, or yellowing. But fortunately, there are several things that we can do to extend the life of our smile. This can help us to have a long-lasting and healthy smile!
Our teeth and smile are important to us all, with our oral health, physical health and appearance all impacted by them.
Just like our bodies, our teeth age over time. But how does this work? Moreover, how can we extend the life of our smile? Fortunately, there are things we can all do!
The aging process of teeth
Teeth – like any part of the body – age over time. However, there are a number of factors which determine how this process goes.
As we get older, our teeth become increasingly brittle. Therefore, they become vulnerable to being fractured. For those with existing fillings or root canal treatments, problems are more common.
Moreover, as a person gets older, enamel thins. Under enamel is dentine – which is yellow in colour. Therefore, as we get older, our teeth typically become darker, and more yellow than white.
Having problems with teeth can often cause self-esteem issues. Therefore, your mental health can suffer.
How can you extend the life of your smile?
Fortunately, there are many things that you can do. These ideas focus on avoiding problematic actions, protecting your teeth, and being alert to potential issues.
Avoiding hard foods can help. Equally, chewing equally on both sides ensures that you won’t overload either side. These are small steps that can help.
Bruxism – better known as teeth grinding – is a common action. The Sleep Foundation estimates that approximately 8% of middle-aged adults grind their teeth during sleep [1]. Teeth grinding can erode your teeth, affecting your smile. Therefore, taking steps against this, like wearing a mouth guard, can help.
If you have deep fillings, or have had root canal treatments, your teeth are more vulnerable to breaking. Therefore, consider getting crowns to improve their strength. Similarly, getting implants or dentures for missing teeth can be helpful.
If you have sweet foods or sugary drinks, it is important to drink water afterwards. This can help to regulate the pH levels in your mouth, protecting your teeth. Also, avoiding smoking can help to keep your mouth healthy.
Moreover, drinking water throughout each day is useful. This is especially crucial if you are taking medicine for common conditions like high blood pressure or mental illness – as medicaments for these ailments typically cause dry mouth.
If you have gum disease, getting this regularly analyzed can help. For example, root planing and scaling can help your gums – both in appearance and longevity. Therefore, this should reduce the chances of dark roots or small holes appearing.
The state of your physical health is also important. A process called cellular senescence is the natural process where our DNA changes – reducing our ability to withstand physical or biological damage as we get older.
Cellular senescence increases the chance of cancer and chronic illnesses developing [2]. But a healthy lifestyle can help to protect against this. Therefore, remember to exercise regularly and eat healthily!
Another useful thing that you can do is to keep in regular contact with your dentist. They can suggest treatments where needed, and provide you with regular advice.
Summary
The areas outlined above can all help towards having a long-lasting and healthy smile. By following these guidelines, it should benefit your oral health.
However, remembering the basics is also important. This includes attending regular dental check-ups, adopting excellent oral hygiene, and eating healthily where possible.
Aging is inevitable, but there are things that we can do to age in a healthy way. This is the same for our teeth, gums, and wider oral health!
Thinking points…
[1] One of the things that many people worry about are yellowing or stained teeth. Having whiter teeth can improve the look of your smile and your self-esteem. Therefore, it should be useful to know that here at Savanna Dental, we offer both in-office whitening and take-home whitening kits. We would love to speak to you about teeth whitening! You can see more about us at our website [input URL]!
[2] A constant theme throughout this article is needing to look after your teeth. One way of doing this is to attend regular dental check-ups. Regular dental check-ups will allow your dentist to provide you with an update on your oral health. If treatment is needed, they can put together a treatment plan for you. We recommend booking an appointment now!
What we offer at Savanna Dental
Savanna Dental is a Calgary dental clinic that provide its patients with a wide range of dental treatment options and advice aimed at improving their oral health.
We advise our patients to attend our Calgary dental clinic at least twice per year for a regular dental check-up. At these check-ups, we provide a comprehensive review of a patient’s oral health. If any problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For example, these include cavity fillings and root canals. To strengthen your oral health, we recommend brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing regularly.
Here at Savanna Dental, we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, teeth whitening and Invisalign™! Our patients find that these treatments have a positive impact on their appearance, confidence and self-esteem.
Moreover, the fees of our treatments at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are set in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide. This ensures transparent and fair pricing, with no hidden costs.
We hope to see you soon at our Savanna Dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca.
References
[1] Suni, E., & Truong, K. (2023). Bruxism: Teeth Grinding at Night. Available: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/bruxism. Last accessed: 23rd December 2023.
[2] Wyld, L., Bellantuono, I., Tchkonia, T., Morgan, J., Turner, O., Foss, F., George, J., Danson, S., & Kirkland, J. L. (2020). Senescence and Cancer: A Review of Clinical Implications of Senescence and Senotherapies. Cancers (Basel). 12 (8): 2134. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fcancers12082134.
