Hygiene - Oral Health Care
The key to keeping a bright, healthy smile throughout adulthood is to practice proper oral hygiene. Adults can get cavities, as well as gum disease that can lead to serious problems. Throughout your adult life, it's important to continue to:
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Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste to remove dental plaque – the sticky film on your teeth that's the main cause of tooth decay and inflammation of the gums, called gingivitis.
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Floss daily to remove plaque from between your teeth and under your gum line, before it can harden into tartar. Once tartar has formed, it can only be removed by a dental hygienist during a professional cleaning.
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Limit sugary or starchy foods, especially sticky snacks. The more often you snack between meals, the more chances you give bacteria to create the acids that attack your tooth enamel.
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Receive regular for professional cleanings and checkups.
As we get older, staying healthy becomes more and more important. This is especially true for our oral health, because we’re at risk for dental problems we didn’t have to deal with when we were teenagers. Dental care for adults is crucial.
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Periodontal Disease
After age 35, patients lose more teeth to periodontal disease than to tooth decay. If your home care routine of brushing and flossing has slipped and you have skipped your regular dental cleanings, bacterial plaque and tartar can build up on your teeth. The plaque and tartar, if left untreated, may eventually cause irreparable damage to your jawbone and support structures. Teeth will start to loosen, and if this is allowed to progress, you could require periodontal surgery, or may even suffer tooth loss.
The good news is that periodontal disease is mostly preventable.
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