For many people, staying healthy is something as we get older does require more attention and effort. The effects of aging can lead us to illnesses and injuries that keep us from living how we want. That’s why keeping good habits and a good and active lifestyle are so important. It’s also good to make sure that our body is taken care of, since we do have an interconnected system, and problems in one do become problems in another. This is very important in terms of oral health.
Oral health is more than just losing teeth, which is actually an indication of a strong decline in the ability of the body to take care of themselves. Along with that, losing teeth limits eating, and that can cause seniors to make poor dietary choices. Adults in general need to be vigilant about their oral health for various reasons, and it’s important that you do take care of your teeth to enjoy during the golden years.
Gum disease and other conditions are something that happen and become problematic in seniors, but they can happen to anyone. This can also cause other serious chronic conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and the like. It’s been studied that there is a link between these, and you might be more susceptible to strokes if you have gum disease, since the bacteria here can increase the chance of blood clots. Diabetes is another one that gum disease is linked to as well.
But it’s not just gum disease that you got to worry about. Dry mouth is another. It’s caused by a lack of saliva in the mouth, which is critical to maintaining a mouth that is clean and healthy, since food particles are often removed with saliva, which in turn lead to less bacteria growth. Bacteria in the mouth, when not cleaned away, can trigger other major health problems as well, such as infection, tooth loss, and the like, so it’s something that you need to be mindful of.
Now, dry mouth can happen in anyone, but it’s a very particular problem in seniors. That’s because they start to take more prescriptions and medications for their high blood pressure, depression, allergies, and even various pains and the like. Cancers can also cause dry mouth too, and for those that are old, the need to watch their oral health especially if they’re getting cancer treatment.
So, what can you do about this now? Well, you should take care of yourself now before it’s too late, but there are a few things that you can totally do in order to do this. The first, is eat a right diet, one that is nice and balanced, and something that is nicely taken care of. If you have a dental issue, take care of it right away, so that it doesn’t get any worse. If you have teeth and gums, get them cleaned and checked twice a year for best results. If you’re not drinking water, you need to start drinking it now, at least 64 ounces of it in order to neutralize the acids in the body and the mouth, to help keep the bacteria off of your teeth. If you need gum disease treatment, you should make sure that you get it if you do need it. If you eat a lot of sugar, begin to limit the intake of that so that cavities are reduced. Finally, start to maintain a good brushing and flossing routine twice a day to help keep your teeth nice and clean, so that you’re able to truly get the most out of your oral health routines.
This might seem like easy stuff, but if you do it now, you’ll be able to save your teeth, making them even better than before. Take the time to do all of these, to promote a healthy lifestyle in yourself, and keep that going throughout the ages. It will help you keep yourself looking good now, and it’s something that if you do now, can have a huge impact on your life. Take care of it now, to prevent future issues from cropping up later on in your life.
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