Kingston TN
Ever hear the saying that Father Time is undefeated? No matter what measures we take, age is going to impact your appearance at some point in your life. However, being proactive can mitigate the effects of aging: for our body, your face, even your smile. Read on as your cosmetic dentist in Kingston examines five tips to keep your smile looking young.
The effects of aging on your teeth
Although your tooth enamel – the hard outer layer of your tooth – is the strongest substance in your entire body, it is not invulnerable. Your enamel thins as you age, revealing more of the next layer of your tooth structure, known as dentin, which has a yellowish hue. Receding gums is also a common consequence of aging. As you reach an advanced age, you also are likely to experience the deterioration of the supporting bone structure in your mouth, giving you a sunken-in appearance that makes you seem older than you are. This bone attrition gets accelerated if you lose a permanent tooth, which causes resorption as the supporting portion of jawbone no longer experiences the constant stimulation that came from the tooth root.
5 Tips to keep your smile looking youthful
- Eat right: In addition to eating a well-balanced diet with plenty of lean protein and fresh produce, you want to limit your consumption of coffee, tea, red wine and dark-colored fruits. These are all substances that cause surface stains on your teeth.
- Monitor your gum health: If your gums recede, this exposes the roots of your teeth, which can become vulnerable to decay and damage. Receding gums also is a common symptom of gum disease, a bacterial infection of the gums that usually stems from poor oral hygiene.
- Straighten things out: If you are living with crooked teeth, this not only can make you self-conscious about your smile, but it can make your teeth harder to clean. Left untreated, your teeth can shift inward, accelerating the effects of aging. At LakeView Dental Arts, we offset orthodontic treatment through Invisalign, a method of clear aligner therapy.
- Replace older dental work: For much of the 20th century, you likely received a filling made of dental amalgam. These restorations are metallic in appearance and expand and contract in response to the temperature changes that happen in your mouth when you eat and drink. Modern dentistry offers composite fillings that can be matched to the shade of your other healthy teeth and are permanently bonded, meaning they have less risk of cracking or failing.
- A vote for veneers: First invented for use on a film set in Hollywood nearly a century ago, veneers have become one of the most popular and versatile treatments used by cosmetic dentists. LakeView Dental Arts offers veneers that are made of dental porcelain, a material that is beautiful, durable, resists surface stains and has a similar translucency to genuine tooth enamel.
State-of-the-art dentistry in Kingston, Tennessee
If you want to keep your teeth looking youthful, you have to do your part: brush twice each day, floss once per day and visit your dentist once every six months for a checkup. If you are overdue for a checkup or in need of a new dentist, LakeView Dental Arts is accepting new patients. Schedule a consultation at our office in Kingston today. Just call (865) 376-9687 or request an appointment online.
