So you’re pushing the retirement envelope. Or you are thinking: What age will I pull the retirement pin.

 

Lots of people out there are telling you how to get your ducks in a row. But, nobody’s talking teeth. You use them every day. When you talk, eat, smile, kiss, and a host of other less thought about or admitted things. But what have you done to keep those puppies healthy?

 

Well let me tell you. If you don’t take time to take care of those pearly whites now they’ll be gone before you are.

 

Here’s a list of questions you need to consider in order to keep those teeth from winding up under your pillow (by the way, the tooth fairy doesn’t pay on adult teeth).

 

1. How do you brush?

Bottom line, you need a power brush. A sonic brush that is smart and times how long you’re working on the teeth and gums.  Using a hand brush won’t give you the results you’ll need. The average person brushes for 20 seconds. That’s about 50 brush strokes if you don’t have arthritis or muscles cramps or lack of coordination. The sonic brush is moving at about 2000 vibrations per minute. You can’t compete, sorry.

2. Are you taking your meds?

About 400 medications cause dry mouth. And let’s face it- Big Pharma doesn’t think it’s worth the printing costs to list dry mouth as a side effect for every one. If you’re taking pills just assume you have dry mouth even if it doesn’t feel like it. This is a BIG problem. Why? Saliva is what moves food and bacteria away from the softer root areas of the teeth. These areas become susceptible to decay in older people if not well cleaned. A fluoride rinse such as ACT is recommended after brushing to strengthen those areas.

3. Do you have receding gums?

Probably. If you keep your teeth your gums may not be as firm and perky as they were when you were younger. What is, right? As the gums sag away from the teeth food can get caught in the spaces. There are little brushes made that fit between that help get the leftovers out of the way. Don’t pick with a tooth pick or your finger nails. Use the inexpensive reusable portable proxy brush.

 

Make sure you commit to spending the measly 6 minutes a day to take care of yourself. 2 minutes for brushing twice and one minute for flossing twice. If you can’t floss due to difficulty with your hands, then an air flosser by Sonicare can do the job. Or you can get a waterpik. They work great once you get the hang of it.

 

Getting old isn’t fun. Neither is losing your teeth. But there are some ways to keep them working long after you retire. So here’s to a long and healthy life.