Proper oral care can keep you smiling well into retirement. Brushing at least twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristle brush are as important as ever. Flossing can help you save your teeth by removing plaque between teeth and below the gumline that your toothbrush cannot reach.

What are some problems I should watch for?

Gingivitis. Most people don’t realize how important it is to take care of their gums. Gingivitis is caused by the bacteria found in plaque that attack the gums. Symptoms of gingivitis include red, swollen gums and possible bleeding when you brush. If you have any of these symptoms, see a dentist at once. Gingivitis can lead to periodontal (gum) disease if problems persist. Most adults show signs of gum disease. Severe gum disease affects about 25 percent of 65- to 74-year-olds. In gum disease, your gums begin to recede, pulling back from the teeth. In the worst cases, bacteria form pockets between the teeth and gums, weakening the bone. All this can lead to tooth loss if untreated, especially in patients with osteoporosis. If regular oral care is too difficult, your dentist can provide alternatives to aid in flossing and prescribe medication to keep the infection from getting worse.

What if it’s too difficult to brush?

If you have arthritis, you may find it difficult to brush and floss for good oral health care and prevention of disease. Ask your dentist for ways to overcome this problem. Certain dental products are designed to make dental care less painful for arthritis sufferers. You may want to try strapping the toothbrush to a larger object, such as a ball, to make the brush more comfortable to handle, or electric toothbrushes can help by doing some of the work for you.

What are the signs of oral cancer?

Oral cancer most often occurs in people over 40 years of age. See a dentist immediately if you notice any red or white patches on your gums or tongue, and watch for sores that fail to heal within two weeks. Unfortunately, oral cancer is often difficult to detect in its early stages, when it can be cured easily. Your dentist can perform a head and neck exam to screen for signs of cancer.

Should I be concerned about dry mouth?

Dry mouth (xerostomia) happens when salivary glands fail to work due to disease, certain medications or cancer treatment. This can make it hard to eat, swallow, taste and speak. In certain cases, such as radiation therapy, dry mouth can lead to severe complications, which is why it is important you see a dentist immediately before beginning any form of cancer treatment. Drinking lots of water and avoiding sweets, tobacco, alcohol and caffeine are some ways to fight dry mouth. Your dentist also can prescribe medications to fight severe dry mouth.

Maintaining your overall health

Studies have shown that maintaining a healthy mouth may keep your body healthier and help you avoid diabetes, heart disease and stroke. The best way to achieve good oral health is to visit your dentist at least twice a year.

Credits: Academy of General Dentistry

Is My Child at Risk for Early Childhood Tooth Decay?

The average healthy adult visits the dentist twice a year. The average healthy 2-year-old has never been to the dentist. By kindergarten, 25 percent of children have never seen a dentist, yet dental decay is the single most common chronic childhood disease in America.

The culprit? A combination of misinformation about when a child should first visit the dentist, when a parent should start caring for a child’s teeth and the frequent and long-term exposure of sugary liquids to a child’s teeth.

A child should first visit the dentist six months after the eruption of the first tooth. During this first exam, the dentist can teach parents the best way to guard against early childhood tooth decay by wiping down the teeth with a damp cloth after every feeding and remind parents to limit sugary beverages.

Frequent and long-term exposure of a child’s teeth to sugary liquids is commonly called baby bottle tooth decay. Most parents are aware of baby bottle tooth decay but may not know that the long-term and regular consumption of sugary liquids in a bottle or cup puts children’s growing teeth at increased risk for decay.

“Unsweetened fruit juices, teas and water are always best for children to help promote oral and overall health,” says Academy of General Dentistry spokesperson Cindi Sherwood, DDS.

Fruit juice causes tooth decay if children are allowed to hold a bottle, cup or box of juice in their mouth through the day.

“If left untreated, baby bottle tooth decay can result in pain and infection,” says Dr. Sherwood. “Baby teeth are important because they hold the place for permanent teeth and help guide them into correct position. Severely decayed teeth may need to be extracted, which could effect the development of permanent teeth, speech and chewing.”

Caring for children’s teeth beginning in infancy promotes good oral health care habits for a lifetime and increases the chances of a child maintaining healthy permanent teeth.

Tips for parents to decrease the risk of early childhood tooth decay:

• Wean a child from the bottle or breast by age 1.
• Use spill-proof cups as a transitional step in the development of children, not a long-term solution.
• Don’t allow children to use spill-proof cups throughout the day. Save spill-proof cups for snack and mealtimes when increased salivary activity helps clean teeth.
• Drink sugary beverages through a straw. The best spill-proof cups to protect against decay are those with collapsible rubber straws.
• Introduce oral health care habits early. Wipe baby’s gums with a damp cloth after every feeding. Introduce brushing with a soft-bristle brush and water when the first tooth appears. Parents can add a pea-sized dab of fluoridated toothpaste to the toothbrush by age 2.

Credits: Academy of General Dentistry

Follow these simple steps to make sure that your smile – and your breath – are making a good impression:

1. Brush and floss frequently. The number one cause of bad breath is plaque. This tacky buildup sticks to the surface of your teeth and grows bacteria. Any food that is stuck between your teeth will add to the problem, as it decays over time. When you brush and floss your teeth, you are removing old food and bacteria-harboring plaque, thus removing odors.
2. Scrape your tongue. While this might be the last thing that you think of doing on a given day, your tongue can be coated with a film that hosts bacteria. When you brush your teeth, simply take a few seconds to also brush your tongue, which will gently remove the film and the odor-causing bacteria.
3. Avoid smelly foods. Foods like garlic and onions not only permeate your breath with their odors, but they find their way into your bloodstream and into your lungs where their smell comes out of your mouth and nose when you breathe. In order to avoid this problem, you must avoid eating these foods.
4. Use rinse. Keep a travel-sized bottle of antibacterial mouth rinse with you and use it after meals. This not only freshens your breath, but will add an additional layer of protection to your mouth by reducing bacteria. Use the mouth rinse along with a follow-up rinse of regular water to completely wash away food particles.
5. Chew gum. Rather than eating an after dinner mint, chew a piece of gum to stimulate saliva, which will naturally defend against plaque. Sucking on candies and mints will instead expose your teeth to sugar and encourage the growth of bacteria.

If following these tips doesn’t address your bad breath issues, make an appointment with your dentist for additional advice. You might be suffering from an undiagnosed medical condition, or have an oral health issue that needs to be addressed.