Adults tend to focus on the oral health of their children by taking them for regular dental appointments, getting braces, and ensuring they brush their teeth twice a day. However, adults should also pay attention to their oral health.
Oral health can decline as people get older with teeth getting weaker, damaged, or with issues like gum disease showing up. You want your teeth to last a lifetime. That means paying just as much attention to your teeth and gums as an adult as you did as a child and teen.
Maintain Good Oral Health Routines
It may seem obvious but the place to start for adults to maintain good oral health is with the basics of brushing and flossing. You should brush twice a day.
It is a bit shocking that 37 percent of adults admit to skipping teeth brushing for two or more days.
Those who find it hard to be motivated about teeth brushing should look into investing in a battery-powered toothbrush. It can improve the experience and the circular motion with the soft head will properly clean your teeth with little effort from you.
The other problem most adults have with their brushing routine is that they don’t do it correctly. Many brush too hard, which can irritate gums. They brush straight across and do it quickly to rush out the door. Brushing should be done with a soft-bristled toothbrush, making circular motions on the teeth, going behind the teeth and on top of them as well, brushing for at least two minutes.
Taking a little more time to brush your teeth correctly can go a long way to improving oral health.
While most adults brush regularly, many adults forget or put off flossing. You should be flossing once a day and more if you are eating foods that leave debris between your teeth.
Flossing gets rid of food debris but also helps to get rid of plaque and tartar between teeth and near the gums. String floss is the easiest and cheapest way to maintain the habit but those who hate using string floss can invest in a water flosser.
Water flossers are highly effective in getting rid of food and plaque between teeth. They are comfortable and easy to use and investing could motivate you to floss daily.
Another part of your daily oral health care routine should be a good antiseptic mouthwash. Several good brands exist and an antiseptic mouthwash or rinse will help cut back on bacteria in your mouth. Some have even been known to heal things like mouth ulcers or sensitive areas affected by bacteria. Mostly, it is a good preventive measure.
Maintain Dental Appointments
Adults are prone to not making their twice-a-year routine dental exams. Statistics show that only 64 percent of those from ages 18 to 44 went to the dentist in the past year. Numbers are similar for older adults with 68 percent of those between 45 and 64 years old maintaining a dental appointment in the past year and 63 percent of those over the age of 65 going regularly to the dentist over the past year.
Going to the dentist twice a year can catch problems like cavities early on so they can be resolved without a lot of tooth decay occurring. That will be less expensive to do too. Dentists also check for things like gum disease, which affects many adults over 45 years old, and oral cancer. There are times when a dental visit will reveal something else occurring in the body, which is referred to a medical doctor.
Dental Accessories
Some adults need equipment to help maintain their oral health. Those who grind their teeth will cause damage. A customized nightguard issued by your dentist can help prevent tooth damage and jaw strain.
Some adults will benefit from braces or clear aligners to improve bite and also to realign teeth where it’s easier to floss and brush between them. This can greatly improve overall oral health as well as improve appearance.
Improving Diet
Another way to improve your oral health is to improve your diet. Changes are simple in that you should cut out a lot of sugar, particularly sugary drinks, and sticky candies, and reduce foods that stain and erode your teeth. That means cutting back on coffee and tea, as well as cutting out soda.
Add things that are good for teeth like raw carrots and broccoli that scrub your teeth as you eat them. Maintaining a balanced diet will be good for your entire body, including your teeth and gums.
Adults should pay closer attention to their oral health as missing teeth are linked to bad nutrition as well as diseases like heart disease and Alzheimer’s. Your mouth and the condition of your teeth and gums help you enjoy food. You will want to continue that throughout your life!
