One of the most upsetting things that tend to change or deteriorate as we get older is our teeth. As we age, our teeth will often start to become discoloured and wonky. Some will fall out and our gums will recede. Often we’ll have some plaque and decay during our younger years too, which can lead to fillings and extractions.
In fact, our teeth and our age are so closely related psychologically, that this has given rise to expressions like ‘long in the tooth’. Dream analysis also tells us that dreams of losing our teeth are normally really dreams about getting older…
So the question then becomes: how can you keep your teeth for longer, so that you may stay looking younger? Here are some tips that can help out…
Go Easy On Them
Your impulse when planning on keeping your teeth younger and healthier may be to start brushing more regularly and vigorously and perhaps to use expensive toothpastes with whitening properties.
The problem is that this can actually be quite misguided and end up doing more harm than good. The reason for this, is that brushing too hard can actually wear away your gums and the enamel that actually protects your teeth.
Likewise, if you use whitening toothpastes, they will often cause damage to the enamel too which will then expose your teeth to more damage.
Even fluoride – found in the majority of toothpastes – can actually cause discoloration and other issues. Choose something gentle and natural and brush gently too – you don’t need to push against your teeth to clean them thoroughly!
Follow Advice
Then again, being conscientious is definitely a plus in other regards. In particular, you need to make sure you are brushing your teeth regularly and more importantly that you’re eating the right diet. That right diet means avoiding simple sugars (candies in particular) and it means eating lots of nutrients like calcium and like magnesium that will strengthen your teeth.
Floss!
Flossing is something else important you need to do, that will help to remove lodged bits of food that can lead to tooth decay and other issues too. Flossing regularly is also good for your general health and although it might seem fiddly, it’s massively important.
And remember too – you can always use cosmetic dental surgery if you need it to turn back the clock on stained or crooked teeth.