In an ideal world, everyone would develop good dental hygiene habits at a very young age. Some people are never given the knowledge they need to manage their dental health while others may grow up flossing and brushing, only to slip into bad habits as adults. Mother Nature can't be fooled forever, and very few people can hope to maintain good dental health into old age unless they take good care of themselves. As we grow older, we need to pay more attention to dental hygiene, perhaps by thinking about questions such as:
Dental hygiene starts at home, by flossing once a day and brushing at least twice a day. Without at least this minimal brushing and flossing, seniors will be more vulnerable to conditions such as tooth decay, gum disease, dry mouth and root caries.
Some people (often but not always seniors) lose their teeth because the germs in their mouths get out of control, or they develop acute gum disease or their teeth become too decayed to save. Dentures can replace teeth, but good oral hygiene can prevent this tooth loss.