Taking care of your teeth

As you age it becomes more important to take good care of your teeth and dental health. One common misconception is that losing your teeth is inevitable. This is not true - if cared for properly, your teeth can last a lifetime.
However, your mouth changes as you age. The nerves in your teeth can become smaller, making teeth less sensitive. If you don’t get regular dental exams, this can lead to problems not being diagnosed until it is too late.
Dental care for older people is much the same as for others. But older adults have concerns that others don't, like caring for dentures, gum disease and tooth decay, and replacing missing teeth and broken fillings.
Dentures are false teeth that replace all the teeth in your mouth (complete) or only some (partial). If you need dentures, your dentist will measure your mouth and take impressions to create them.
You should care for your dentures as you would for your teeth and continue caring for your gums. Brush your gums, tongue and the roof of your mouth every day with a soft-bristled brush before you put in your dentures. Continue to see your dentist on a regular basis.
Care
• When you take out your dentures, stand over a folded towel or bowl of water so that if you drop them, they will not break.
• Store dentures in lukewarm water or denture-cleaning liquid overnight. Don't put them in hot water and don't let them dry out.
• Replace your dentures every 5 years. Using them daily wears them out.
• Rinse your dentures to remove loose food particles.
• Wet the brush, and brush your dentures with a denture cleanser such as Polident or Efferdent. Do not brush with toothpaste. It can scratch your dentures.
• Brush every surface, scrubbing gently to avoid damage.
Teeth and gums
• Examine your gums before you put in your dentures. Let red, swollen gums heal. If the redness does not go away, call your dentist. White patches on the inside of your cheeks could also indicate poorly fitting dentures.
• Give your mouth at least 6 hours of rest from your dentures every day.
• Don't put up with dentures that are too big, click when you eat, or don't feel good.
• Quit smoking. Besides putting you at greater risk for lung and other cancers, smoking increases problems with gum disease, tooth decay and tooth loss.
By adopting healthy oral habits at home, making smart choices about diet and lifestyle and seeking regular dental care, you can help your teeth last a lifetime—whether you have your natural teeth, implants or dentures.