Last week Dr. Mike Firouzian and Sue Cantor appeared on Daytime Columbus to talk about the event at our office this past Tuesday, August 30: Healthy Living as You Age. We invited two other professionals to help counsel patients about heart health and nutrition. The event was a big success, and we hope to run more such events in the future.
But August is also AAID dental implant month, so we want to talk a little bit about your implant dentist can make a difference in your overall health as you age.
Dental Implants Preserve Your Food Choices
It’s important to maintain a healthy diet as we get older. Our nutrition needs change, but they still include consuming a diverse mix of fruits and vegetables as well as avoiding processed foods. Unfortunately, when many people get dentures, they find it harder to eat certain foods, especially raw fruits and vegetables. They will then turn to more processed foods that aren’t only short on nutrition, they’re higher in fat, salt, and sugar, which can cause many serious health problems as we get older. But dental implants make it easier to keep eating a full range of foods so that you can keep to a healthy diet as you get older.
Dental Implants Don’t Damage Natural Teeth
Another problem with people getting dentures as they get older is that dentures can damage your natural teeth. The hooks and clasps on dentures can cause wear on your natural teeth, and they can trap food particles and oral bacteria against your teeth. This can increase the risk of tooth decay and tooth loss among your remaining teeth.
But dental implants support themselves. They are anchored in the jawbone, so they don’t need hooks, clasps, or even dental crowns to hold them in place. Instead, they can actually help support your remaining teeth the same way your natural teeth support each other.
Dental Implants Can Help You Stay Active
Maintaining an active lifestyle as we age is crucial to staying healthy. And dental implants can actually help you stay active. You might not think it, but your jaw is vital to your body’s balance and stability. If you lose teeth and either don’t wear your dentures or have poorly fitting dentures, you are going to be more unsteady as you walk. You’ll even be at a greater risk for falls, and studies have shown that seniors with fewer teeth are more likely to be homebound if they don’t wear dentures, and more likely to be active if they have good, supportive teeth.
Because dental implants are securely fastened in your bone, they’re very much like your natural teeth and can play the same role in helping you remain steady as you walk, run, bike, or otherwise spend your active time.
Dental Implants Can Help You Look Younger
Not only are dental implants great functionally, they’re also very attractive. They are the tooth replacement that looks most like your natural teeth. And they always stay in place.
Dental implants also help your body maintain jawbone. Otherwise, your body will remove the bone that used to support your teeth. This will cause your face to shrink, and contributes to sunken-in denture face. Especially when combined with the Denture Fountain of Youth ®, dental implants can help you keep looking younger longer.
And looking younger can help you feel younger. And feeling younger in and of itself can help you stay healthier longer.
If you are looking for more information about how dental implants can help you preserve your oral and general health as you age, please call (614) 848-5001 today for an appointment with implant dentist Dr. Mike Firouzian in Columbus, OH.
