A recent article in Women’s Health listed regular dental visits as one of ways you can keep your skin looking young. At 543 Dental Centre, we couldn’t agree more! Here are just a few ways that you can help stop the clock by maintaining good dental health:
White teeth look younger
One of the many stereotypes surrounding aging is that of yellowed teeth. Teeth usually begin life at the whiter end of the spectrum and naturally darken and yellow as we age. This process is unfortunately accelerated by our lifestyle choices such as drinking tea, coffee and red wine and bad habits such as smoking.
Keeping on top of your daily dental hygiene goes a long way to reducing the staining effects of daily habits, as does regular visits to the hygienist. A course of professional tooth whitening, however, is the only thing that can change the base colour of your teeth – and take years off.
Keep your teeth
A relaxed attitude to dental hygiene can lead to gum disease which, in turn can cause your teeth to loosen and fall out. Tooth loss is something that plagues many older people, causing changes in the way they eat, speak and smile and having serious consequences for their self-confidence. Remember, keeping your gums and teeth healthy, by daily flossing and a diet free of frequent sugars, will help you keep your teeth.
Avoid sagging skin and wrinkles
More serious than damaged self-confidence is the danger of tooth loss causing your jaw and cheek bones to recede. The roots of teeth extending into your jawbone keeps the blood flowing through the bone, keeping it alive. When teeth fall out, the bone loses this blood supply and starts to shrink. Your remaining teeth can then become destabilised and start to loosen as well, causing a domino effect. But there’s something else…
Sagging facial skin and wrinkles around the eyes and mouth are some of the most noticeable signs of aging and they happen when the underlying jaw and cheek bones have shrunk away and can no longer support your facial tissue. For this reason, replacing lost teeth with implants is an excellent way, where possible, to maintain your youthful facial structure.
Guard against tooth wear
Worn-down teeth, caused by grinding during sleep, are another tell-tale sign of age. You may not even be aware you’re doing it, but your hygienist or dentist will be able to tell you. An easy way to avoid this is to protect your teeth with a night guard that you wear whilst you sleep. Night guards are comfortable to sleep in, as they’re custom-made to fit your mouth.
So, why bother with facial surgery when you can book in with our dental hygienist for a ‘smile lift’ and keep looking youthful? You can also take the opportunity to discuss any further treatments you might be considering.
