Long in the tooth is meant to say that someone is on the older side. There is a dental spin on the history of this phrase. Natural gum recession as we age exposes more of your teeth. The less healthy your gums are, and the more they recede, and the longer in the tooth you will be. Avoiding severe gum disease is a key to keeping your teeth until…
Long in the tooth is meant to say that someone is on the older side. There is a dental spin on the history of this phrase. Natural gum recession as we age exposes more of your teeth. The less healthy your gums are, and the more they recede, and the longer in the tooth you will be. Avoiding severe gum disease is a key to keeping your teeth until the day you leave this earth. Knoxville, TN dentist, Dr. Jim Erpenbach is a conservative dentist who loves to help people keep their natural teeth healthy well into their golden years.
Aging and Gum Recession
Gum recession is a common problem in America. Our diets and avoiding preventive dental care create unhealthy oral health situations. The more gums recede, the bigger the spaces between the teeth will be. These spaces are perfect breeding grounds for the germs which can grow and multiply and lead to tooth decay and gum disease. Gum recession to some degree isn’t avoidable as we age, but the process is slowed down when you practice good oral hygiene. Be sure to brush with fluoridated toothpaste twice a day and to floss once a day. Doing this cleans your mouth of gum infecting bacteria.
Avoid Acidic Foods and Beverages
If your gums have already begun to recede, avoid food or drinks containing acids. Healthy tooth enamel can usually stand up to the occasional consumption of acids found in wine, orange juice, carbonated soft drinks, and lemonade. However, once recession is underway and tooth enamel is already damaged, the dentin and tooth roots are exposed and vulnerable. Â If you do eat or drink something with acid, swish your mouth with water afterwards to help wash the acid away. Teeth grinding also exacerbates and speeds up recession. If you suffer from bruxism, speak to our professionals at Jim Erpenbach DDS about wearing a customized nightguard while you sleep.
Dental Checkups from Jim Erpenbach DDS
If you would like to schedule an appointment with our 37919 dentist office, you can call 865-584-8630. Your biomimetic family dentist in Knoxville welcomes patients from Knoxville and the greater metropolitan area.
