Teeth Health: The Secret Weapon for Longevity: Learning from Li's Story and the Connection Between Teeth and Lifespan

Teeth Health: The Secret Weapon for Longevity: Learning from Li's Story and the Connection Between Teeth and LifespanLi, a friend nearing his sixties, has always been terrified of dentists. He has avoided dental treatment, resulting in the loss of many teeth

Teeth Health: The Secret Weapon for Longevity: Learning from Li's Story and the Connection Between Teeth and Lifespan

Li, a friend nearing his sixties, has always been terrified of dentists. He has avoided dental treatment, resulting in the loss of many teeth. Initially, he didn't care much, thinking it was a natural part of aging. However, he recently read an article about the relationship between teeth health and lifespan, highlighting a strong link between tooth loss and shorter lifespans. This sparked his concernwas his life silently slipping away?

Behind Healthy Teeth Lies the Secret to Longevity

Li's worries are not unfounded. Indeed, tooth health is intimately intertwined with lifespan. The mouth harbors numerous bacteria, usually in balance. However, if this balance is disrupted, it can lead to a cascade of problems, such as cavities, gum disease, and potentially bad breath or toothaches. More importantly, these oral issues can impact not just oral health but also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and pneumonia.

Research Confirms: Healthy Teeth, Longer Lifespans

More and more studies demonstrate a significant correlation between the number of teeth and expected lifespan.

• A long-term study in Denmark found: Among those aged 70 and over, individuals with no teeth or less than 10 teeth had a significantly higher risk of disability within 5 years compared to those with 20 teeth. Additionally, these individuals faced a greater risk of death.

• Another research study indicated: For those under 65 who lost over 5 teeth, the risk of premature death increased substantially.

• Conversely, individuals aged 74 and above who maintain healthy teeth are likely to live beyond 100 years.

The World Health Organization's "8020" oral health concept emphasizes this point: at 80 years old, one should have at least 20 teeth for chewing. This implies that by 80, tooth loss should not exceed 12 teeth.

Tooth Loss: Three Potential Dangers Not to Be Ignored

Many believe tooth loss is an inevitable consequence of aging, but this isn't true. Tooth loss is not a necessary outcome of aging; it's often caused by dental problems like cavities and periodontal disease, especially periodontal disease, which has an incidence rate exceeding 80%. The long-term consequences of missing teeth extend far beyond just missing teeth:

1. Accelerated Facial Aging: Tooth loss can deprive the alveolar bone of necessary physiological stimulation, leading to atrophy, directly affecting the stability of the oral and maxillofacial region. If multiple teeth are missing, it can cause other teeth to tilt and shift, causing abnormal facial muscle direction, making someone look older.

2. Triggering Gum Disease and Even Increasing the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: After tooth loss, the previously tight arrangement of teeth can create gaps, allowing food debris to accumulate. This prolonged accumulation can lead to cavities and periodontal disease. Periodontitis not only affects oral health, but its chronic infection can also cause bacteria and their toxins to enter the bloodstream, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis and thrombosis, becoming a risk factor for serious illnesses like infective endocarditis, coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Therefore, early detection and prevention of periodontal disease are crucial for protecting heart health.

3. Alveolar Bone Loss: Without teeth for support, the alveolar bone gradually atrophies. Once this occurs, it's often difficult to reverse, and in severe cases, it can even affect the success of dental implants.

Data shows that over 90% of adults in China have some degree of oral problems, a significant social public health issue. For those already missing teeth, timely restoration is crucial, preferably within 3 months of tooth loss to avoid further risks to the body.

The Secrets to Longevity Are Found in Your Teeth! These 4 Signs Tell You

Fortunately, we can identify simple signs indicating the health of our teeth, allowing us to better prevent oral diseases and extend lifespan.

1. Strong and Aligned Teeth, Longer Lifespan: Elderly people often say, "Those with strong, well-aligned teeth live longer." This is because strong teeth allow us to chew food better, ensuring the body receives greater nutrition. With sufficient nutrition, we are naturally more likely to enjoy a long life.

2. Less Tooth Wear, Healthier Body: If you notice no significant wear on your teeth, it suggests your bite is normal, and there are no problems with your temporomandibular joint. This means your oral cavity is in a very healthy state, benefiting your overall health.

3. Healthy Gums, Stable Teeth: Gums are the "home" of teeth, and their condition directly affects tooth stability. Healthy gums should be pink, firm, and free from abnormal swelling or bleeding. So, to maintain stable teeth, you must prioritize gum health!

4. No Oral Odor, No Troubles: Oral odor might signal issues with the digestive system or endocrine system, or it could be a sign of gum disease, cavities, or other oral problems. Therefore, if you notice no oral odor, it indicates your digestive system, endocrine system, and oral health are all excellent, naturally leading to a trouble-free body!

Three Steps for Elderly Dental Care: Safeguarding Tooth Health and Enjoying a Long Life

Elderly individuals, due to their naturally weakened immune systems, are more susceptible to oral diseases. Therefore, they need to pay closer attention to daily dental care to better safeguard tooth health and extend lifespan.

Step 1: Brush Properly, Ensure Thorough Cleaning: The first step in caring for your teeth is mastering the correct brushing technique.

• First, brush at an angle, ensuring the toothbrush is at 45 degrees to the tooth surface, allowing the bristles to reach deep into the interdental spaces for a thorough cleaning of hidden bacteria and plaque.

• Second, use the vibrating brushing method to disrupt the biofilm of plaque, causing it to detach from the teeth.

• Finally, don't forget to thoroughly clean the junction between the gums and tooth hard tissue.

Step 2: During the Periodontal Disease Stage, Focus on Self-Care: When faced with periodontal disease, besides professional treatment, self-care is equally important.

• First, rinse your mouth with 2% to 5% saline solution to remove debris from your mouth and teeth.

• Second, tap your teeth together, strengthening the roots for a firming effect.

• Additionally, after each meal and before brushing, use a clean index finger to "push" out remaining debris around the teeth and massage your gums.

• Then, gently massage your gums with your index finger and thumb, working your way down individually, improving blood circulation and promoting inflammation reduction.

• Finally, use a toothbrush to brush away any remaining debris from the gaps between your teeth.

Step 3: Supplement Teeth with Necessary Nutrients: Nutrition plays a crucial role in tooth health.

• Professor Feng Xiping, director of the Preventive Medicine Department at the Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, emphasizes that long-term vitamin C deficiency can lead to gingivitis, while carbonated beverages can erode tooth enamel and cause the loss of calcium, phosphorus, and other trace elements in the body.

• Deficiency in vitamin B2, B12, folic acid, and zinc can lead to oral ulcers.

• Therefore, elderly individuals should consume more dairy products, meat, beans, fish, fruits, vegetables, and poultry, which are rich in calcium, phosphorus, fluorine, and other teeth-strengthening elements.

Conclusion: Tooth health cannot be ignored, especially for the elderly, who should pay more attention and take it seriously, not taking tooth loss as a natural phenomenon. Through proper oral care and a healthy lifestyle, we can safeguard tooth health and enjoy a long and fulfilling life.