Maintaining good health as you age is one of the most important things that you can do for yourself. As we age, many people face oral health problems including many that end in the loss of a tooth or even teeth!
Around 40 seems to be the time when most of us start to really take stock of our health and try to make positive changes. Here are some great tips for helping you maintain great oral health after 40.
Preventative Care
It is called preventative care because it prevents problems before they happen. The more dental issues that can be addressed through proper preventative care, the less trouble, pain, and expense you will deal with.
Good preventative care includes seeing your local dentist for regular check ups. Check ups allow a professional to take a good look at what is going on inside your mouth. They will have an opportunity to check for things like cavities and gum disease which can become much bigger problems if they are allowed to fester. It is far better to have a check-up now than an extraction later.
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Proper Nutrition And Good Oral Health
Another major piece in the puzzle of good oral care is eating right. You know that proper nutrition can help you maintain a healthy body weight, keep your immune system robust and help prevent diseases. Did you know that good nutrition is also the key to good general health?
Good eating habits actually affect your teeth in several ways. In the immediate sense, what you eat can damage your teeth. From overly hard foods to too much exposure to acidic foods like citrus fruits and soda, what you eat can wreak havoc on your mouth. Be careful with what you choose to eat in both the long and short term to maintain the best oral health.
Good Oral Health Means Having Good Dental Habits
Seeing your local dentist is important, but having good dental habits every day makes a big difference too! It is more important than you might think to follow through on brushing your teeth, flossing and using a mouth rinse twice a day.
Missing just once allows 12 additional hours of letting sugar, acid and other pathogens sit in your mouth and on your teeth to do damage.
The importance of good dental habits can not be overstated. The easiest way to ensure building these kinds of good habits is by daily repetition. Change your daily dental habits and it will make your whole mouth healthier.
![Mature man looking in the mirror and brushing his teeth to continue having good oral health after 40.](https://belladentaloxnard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/oral_health_40_1-2-1024x576.jpg)
Don’t Avoid the Dentist
A lot of people, especially those who haven’t seen a dentist very often, are afraid to go to the dentist due to their perceived oral health issues. Most people are afraid the experience will be painful.
The real truth is that sometimes dental work does cause a short period of pain, but it is far less pain than you will experience if you allow one dental problem to turn into another by waiting too long.
Dental problems do not solve themselves. In the end, you will still end up having to see your local dentist to get help with the problem. The sooner you make that visit, the sooner you will be out of pain altogether.
Visit Your Local Dentist in Oxnard, CA
Don’t put off your next dental visit. If you think it’s time for a check up or need help with a dental issue, contact Bella Dental in Oxnard, California and keep up that good oral health especially when you’re over 40.