NY Times: Maintaining Oral Health An Important Part Of Aging.

Dentist Mesa | Implant Dentist in Mesa AZ | Sossaman Dental Health and Dental Implant Center | Justin Kirch DDS DMD

The New York Times  Well blog provides tips for a “midlife tuneup,” stating that “our health needs change with every passing decade, but the good news is that it’s never too late to start taking better care of yourself.” In a broad list of suggestions to stay healthy, the article includes oral health tips, observing that losing teeth and getting dentures is no longer an inevitable part of aging thanks to better hygiene and fluoridation. As people age, the rules for proper dental care remain the same, brush and floss regularly and avoid sweets and sodas, hard candies and caramels to keep your teeth healthy. Still, aging can bring unique oral health challenges, including dry mouth as a side effect of medications, which makes teeth more vulnerable to cavities. In addition, bone loss can make teeth less stable and receding gums expose roots to cavities. However, the biggest challenge to maintaining oral health with aging is cost, the article says, noting Medicare typically doesn’t cover dental procedures, and only about 10 percent of retirees have dental benefits from their former employer. Given this, “prevention is key”, the article says.

At Sossaman Dental Health and Implant Center we encourage our patients to regularly see a dentist at least every 6 months for those without any sort of periodontal disease and every 3 months for those with a history of periodontal disease. These preventive visits can not only maintain your oral health but can catch any cavities or infection early enough to save your teeth. And for those without any sort of dental coverage we offer an in-office dental insurance and financing options to accommodate our patients so that all treatment no matter how big or small is available to everyone!