This is a somewhat medical, but somewhat historical dentistry question. Mods, please move it if necessary.
I am a 30 something year old male.
I always brush my teeth twice a day, I go to the dentist twice a year, and I have never had any cavities. When I go to the dentist, they clean my teeth, fuss at me for not flossing, but otherwise can’t find anything wrong with them and send me on my way.
How long will my “good teeth” last? When I talk to older people (65+), they frequently seem to be getting dental work done (bridges, caps, crowns, dentures, etc. I don’t even know what all of those mean!).
My question is, when I get there (in my 60s) will I have all these dental issues or do they have all those issues because they grew up in a world without fluoride and regular dental visits?
Will my teeth (with the assistance of modern dentistry) take me much farther than theirs did or am I going to end up the same way?
I’m 59. Most of my friends have had some dental work, but still have their own teeth. OTOH, both Madame Pepperwinkle and I have dentures. Take care of your mouth, it’s worth it.
I was told by a dentist that teeth are suppose to last about 40 years, but obviously they can last a lifetime if well taken care of. It sounds as if you are doing a great job with your teeth. Speaking for myself, I buy toothpaste that does not contain fluoride, as I have heard some negative things about fluoride. You may want to do some research on fluoride. In addition, I am a little hesitant to get dental x-rays, (or any x-rays for that matter), unless they are really necessary.
I guess I worded the question personally, but I meant it generally too.
Overall question:
In 35ish years, will the mouths of senior citizens look pretty much like they do now? Or will growing up with more modern dentistry mean that our teeth will be much less troublesome?
I think if you take good care of your teeth, they will look pretty much the same as they do now. I’m in my sixties, and I have fillings in all of the teeth that don’t already have crowns. I grew up not taking care of my teeth and not getting regular dental care.
My daughter, however, has gone to the dentist every six months since she was eighteen years old and has had one cavity. She is in her early thirties. I expect that her teeth will be in much better shape when she is my age.
However, there is always wear and tear no matter how much care you take. You bite into something and hit a nut the wrong way. You get hit in the face by a street hockey puck right after the game is over and you’ve taken your mouth guard out and one person decides to take one last shot that goes wild. But all in all, your teeth should be okay.
As you get older, cavities usually become less and less of an issue, while gum disease becomes more and more of an issue. While brushing and regular dentist visits are also important, regular flossing is the single best thing you can do to minimize your chance of getting gum disease.
I’ve had a couple of dentists over the years tell me the biggest factor is genetics. You can and should take care of your teeth, but if your parents and grand-parents had trouble, odds are good so will you.
I have to disagree with your dentists. Crafter_ Man has the right solution. I am 75 and my dentist tells me my teeth will last longer than I will. Flossing is the key, along with thorough brushing. I find that after I brush, there remains bits of food along the gum line. I use a dentist pick to get those out. Then I swish Listerine mouthwash. Listerine contains alcohol and is the only mouthwash approved by ADA. I brush after every meal and use mouthwash after dinner. I use Listerine twice a day.
I did not use good dental hygiene when I was younger. I did not brush well, if at all, and never flossed. I was not educated in good dental hygiene and came from a poor family. I could not afford to see a dentist. When I was in grammar school, we children en masse went to a dentist who filled our cavities (paid for by God knows). I didn’t start flossing until after the Army. I had gingivectomy twice. Dentists measured the gap between the tooth and the gum line, and when it reached 0.4, I needed surgery to save the teeth. I now followed good dental hygiene, and my dentist says now that my teeth are rock solid, and haven’t had any gaps in years. I did have two teeth removed when I was younger in order to allow my other teeth more room. I have a small mouth and my teeth are tightly packed. Removing the teeth did not help. As a result, I see a dentist every 3 months. I also had all my wisdom teeth removed when I was 40, as they were impacted. They had no room to grow out.
I had really great teeth until my mid -40s, when the bone supporting them began to recede. It runs in my father’s side of the family. I don’t think there has been anyone past mid-50s with any of their own teeth. My mother, on the other hand, lived to 92, and with one exception still had all her own teeth. So be careful which side of the family you take after.
Genetics is a factor. Soft enamel runs on my father’s side of the family. On the other side of the issue, a dentist once recommended that my wife stopped brushing so much. She was up to 10 times a day, he thought that would begin to abrade the enamel.
If I understand your OP correctly, then, yes, advances in dentistry (as with all medicine) do mean that your generation’s teeth will probably last longer than those of my generation.