Becoming older can feel quite strange to us personally. While others notice the visible changes in our facial features, and we may too, we often feel that we are the same person that we were when we were younger (until we try to run for a bus anyway!) Gradually though, and often without realising, we make small adjustments to our life to make things easier to cope with as the years go by.
From a dental perspective, this might include switching from a crusty loaf of bread, to softer white bread and, if we have lost teeth and replaced them with dentures, we might perhaps avoid eating certain foods altogether.
While these changes make sense, the need to carry them out can be avoided with some help from the dentists and facial aesthetic practitioners at the Smile Dental Practice, and, in today’s blog, we will take a look at the help that we can provide.
Some people believe that there is an inevitability to tooth loss, and that losing teeth is just part of growing old. Fortunately, that doesn’t have to be the case. Lots of people keep their natural teeth well into later life, although they may find that looking after them requires a little more care than when they were younger.
Gums can gradually recede as we age and this can leave some of the root surface exposed. This area does not have the same protective enamel as the visible part of the tooth above the gum line, making them more susceptible to decay. Teeth can also become sensitive, particularly around the gum line, and older fillings or crowns may eventually need attention.
As we grow older, we sometimes notice that our mouths are drier than they used to be. Saliva is important in oral health as it flushes away food particles and bacteria and also balances the acidity in the mouth. The necessity of some medications can worsen this situation too. Making sure that you drink plenty of water throughout the day becomes even more important as we age.
It is important that we don’t become complacent about cleaning our teeth as well . Brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and cleaning between the teeth with floss or interdental brushes remains as important as ever, if not more so. Whatever your age, regular check-ups at our Bromley dental clinic are essential too, even if nothing appears to be wrong.
We often make small changes as we go through life. One of these might be the avoidance of hard foods if we lack confidence in our teeth, or perhaps we might omit certain foods altogether if we have dentures. At first, these might seem quite minor things, but eating should be enjoyable, and you shouldn’t need to keep changing what you eat to work around a dental issue. This is where we can help.
Often, the solution is relatively simple. A denture might need adjusting, or a damaged filling may need to be restored or replaced. Where teeth are missing, there are several options to replace them, including bridges, dentures and, of course, dental implants.
You should not assume that nothing can be done. It is always worth having things checked, and the solutions might be more straightforward than you think.
Even when our teeth are healthy, their appearance often changes over the years. Tea, coffee and other foods can leave stains, while natural wear may make teeth look shorter or less even. An old filling may have become more noticeable, or you feel that your smile has lost some of its brightness.
Some people are perfectly happy with these changes. Others would like to do something about them. If this is you, remember that cosmetic dentistry is not only for the younger generation.
Professional teeth whitening can help with some types of staining, while bonding can improve the appearance of small chips or uneven tooth edges. Veneers and crowns may be an option where more substantial changes are needed, although they may not be suitable for every situation.
As we grow older, we might be reluctant to make dramatic changes to our appearance and our cosmetic dentists can adjust the treatment according to how significant you want the changes to be to blend in with how you feel about yourself at the age you are at.
One area that dentists now offer is that of facial aesthetic treatments. The skin around our mouth can lose some of its elasticity as we grow older and fine lines become more noticeable as the face gradually takes on a different appearance.
Some people are happy enough to let these changes happen naturally. Others might want to keep their skin younger looking, at least for a few more years. We are able to offer these patients a range of facial aesthetic treatments carried out by our friendly and experienced team of facial clinicians.
Available treatments include dermal fillers, anti wrinkle treatments and one that some of you may not have heard of; vampire facials/prp therapy. If you are curious about this treatment with a seemingly sppoky themed name, there is more information available on our facial aesthetic treatments page.
None of us can avoid growing older and there always comes a time when we have to acknowledge that we aren’t as young as we used to be. This doesn’t mean the end of things though. Many people remain in good health for longer and continue to socialise and enjoy eating out etc. Perhaps because of this, we see more and more people who are looking to stay looking as young as possible for as long as they can.
With the range of oral care and facial aesthetic treatments available at the Smile Dental Practice, we are here to help you. Please call us on 020 8462 2473 to find out more or to book an appointment with us.
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