Maintaining Optimal Oral Health as You Age.  Why is this important?

“Everything’s working and doing its job.  Why do you want to go through a renovation?” my patient posed the question.

Yes, he was right, everything was working … but I could see how it could be better.  Only in the middle of my career, and definitely not near the end of it, I replied “I want to make the facilities as good as they can possibly be, both for our patients and for us!  To improve the quality of care we provide and the quality of the workspace for the team.”

The same principle applies to our overall health and in particular our oral health.  Our teeth and gums may be doing their job and maybe they’re not hurting us, but are they actually ‘healthy’?

Are they ‘optimised’?

Can they be made better to improve the quality of our lives?

How Will My Oral Health Improve My Quality of Life?

There are many aspects to this including health, comfort and certainty.

Health

As the saying goes, “Your health is your wealth”.  The mouth is the highway for bacteria to enter your body and serves as a reservoir for them.  It’s the starting point.  The healthier you keep this, the healthier the rest of your body will be.  There is lots of scientific evidence to support this and points to the notion that you’ll be less prone to heart disease, diabetes and even Alzheimer’s disease with a healthier mouth

Comfort

The mouth is quite a hostile environment when you think about the amount of function, wear and tear and conditions it has to endure.  It’s one of those things that will slowly deteriorate with time.  This creates some sensitivity, something sharp to your tongue, an area where food gets constantly caught or even worse, pain when you want to eat or drink.  Sometimes with a little TLC we can fix all of these issues we’ve learnt to live with, but don’t need to put up with.

Certainty

Have you got an event coming up?  Are you going away?  Is there something that you’re concerned with that could go wrong while you’re away?  Most dental emergencies and toothaches are preventable to a degree.  You can take action to ensure you’re less likely to have a toothache or dental emergency while you’re on that cruise or dream holiday you’ve been waiting for that’s finally booked.

How do I know if I’m at risk?

• Do you floss daily? Do you brush daily and are your gums healthy?  It’s not normal for gums to bleed.  Actually, bleeding gums are a sign of inflammation and disease that is not healthy.
• Do you have fillings in your teeth? These do deteriorate with time and teeth filled with silver amalgam fillings are prone to cracks and fracturing.
• Do you take any medications? Most will have side effects and many will lead to increased risk of tooth decay or tooth wear.
• Did your parents ever lose some teeth or need false teeth? Genetics can play a role and make some people more susceptible than others to gum disease.
• Have your teeth worn down? Have they chipped?  Have they moved? All of these may be signs of deterioration and the need to review the situation.

When is the right time to act?  What does this involve?

There’s no time better than the present.  It’s usually a case of the sooner the better.  The earlier you act and get on top of things, the less long-term damage there is and the cheaper it is to fix and maintain.

Some people will require more than others.  Some conditions will be more urgent to treat than others.  It’s about customising your options to suit your needs.  Often, it’s a case of working out a long-term treatment plan that suits you and your budget so together we can work toward the common goal of optimum oral health.

You have the choice to slowly fix things over time – and this could be years – or you have the choice to optimise things quickly.  What you don’t want to do is ignore things and let them blow up all at once taking that choice away from you.

What should I do now?

Give us call on 55972100.  Let us know your concerns and meet with one of our friendly dentists so we can carry out a comprehensive examination and then discuss all of your options with you.  At Define Dental, we strive to build relationships that are deep and long-lasting.  By getting to know you well, we’re then positioned to advise and guide you as to what is best for your unique situation.

Have you been in for a dental checkup and clean lately?  A six-month gap is a good rule of thumb to say you’re probably due!  The best place to start is by booking an appointment at Define Dental.  Located in Benowa on the Gold Coast, Define Dental’s team are committed to helping you achieve your best oral health. Learn more about our approach to supporting you on your dental health journey when you book an appointment today on 5597 2100.