Your natural teeth are precious!
We have 2 sets of teeth: children have a set of 20 milk or primary teeth while adults have a set of 32 permanent teeth. Your permanent teeth start erupting at the age of 6 years and continue till the age of 12 years. Well, that’s early in life! And these same teeth have to last you a lifetime! Will they or more importantly can they last a lifetime? Yes with the correct care (most importantly daily home care and professional care as and when needed), your teeth can give you a beautiful healthy smile lasting a lifetime! Remember nothing looks, feels or functions like a natural tooth…… every form of tooth replacement is artificial and at best has its limitations not to speak of the time and expense involved.
So how can I make my natural teeth last a lifetime?
Well, as with most things in life if we care for our teeth, they will serve us for a long time in terms of aesthetics (looks), chewing and speaking. More importantly, the health of your mouth or oral cavity is closely linked to your general health. The mouth is like a mirror of your bodily health. For example, diabetes, blood disorders, certain nutritional deficiencies and some infectious diseases manifest and have effects in your mouth too. Reciprocally, a healthy mouth is equally essential for and contributes to your overall health and well-being. For example, there is a well established association between periodontitis or gum disease and cardiovascular health. In short, maintaining a good clean healthy mouth is essential not only for oral health but also for your systemic or general health. After all, the mouth is the gateway to the body. It is only if the entrance to a house is clean, that one will expect the inmates of the house to be reasonably clean!!
Oral hygiene
Keeping your teeth clean, makes your mouth feel healthy and fresh with no bad breath. Brushing removes tartar and deposits which form on your teeth and maintains your gums in a healthy and firm condition. Gums which are not brushed well will be soft, spongy and inflamed and have gum disease. Left untreated, gum disease can progress with loss of the supporting bone and loose teeth. A lack of oral hygiene also predisposes to the development of dental decay. Regular professional cleaning (scaling once or twice a year) coupled with oral hygiene maintenance (brushing correctly, flossing) at home will take care of your gums and keep your teeth decay-free. After all, prevention is better than cure!
Initial gum disease can be treated by professional scaling. Severe disease may require gum surgery to restore the gums to a healthy maintainable state. At times, extraction may be required.
Superficial decay in enamel and dentine can be treated with fillings. Deep decay reaching the pulp or nerve, requires root canal treatment. Extensive decay may require extraction.
Diet
A wholesome, nutritious diet with plenty of fibrous foods (raw fruits and vegetables) will maintain your teeth and gums in a healthy condition. Sweet, sticky foods such as chocolates, biscuits, sweets, cakes, pastries and the like, leave sugar (a fermentable carbohydrate) in the mouth, in the crevices of the teeth and gums. Oral bacteria ferment this sugar forming an acid which eats into the teeth causing dental decay. Hence if these ‘bad’ foods are consumed, they should immediately be topped up with ‘good’ foods such as an apple, nuts, raw carrots, cheese and so on. Fried foods such as wafers and chips are relatively safe. Aerated drinks are to be avoided as they are a ready-made acid (often sweetened) and decalcify the teeth. In any case, rinsing the mouth well after eating is an excellent habit and combined with good oral hygiene maintenance, will keep the teeth surfaces clean and decay free.
So, with the right care and the right foods your natural teeth can serve you for a lifetime!