How to Keep Your Teeth, Gums Healthy

Dry Mouth

Dry mouth — often caused by medications — can make it tough to swallow and even to speak. Without enough saliva to wash them away, bacteria can have a field day, decaying teeth and eventually eroding bone.

Remedies: "Talk to your doctor about reducing the dosage of your medications or substituting another drug that won't be as drying," Sadowsky says. Over-the-counter "saliva substitute" sprays — made of water and glycerin — aren't tasty, but they can help your mouth feel more moist. Choose a dry mouth toothpaste brand, formulated without sodium lauryl sulfate, such as Biotene or Tom's of Maine. Chew sugarless gum with Xylitol as well. "It's a natural sugar that helps fight bacteria," Sadowsky says. And stay hydrated with eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.

Gum Disease

"If you don't remove bacteria where the gum joins the tooth, it builds up, and the gums become inflamed and bleed when you brush," says Sadowsky. "Once bacteria are in the gums, they begin to affect bone." The bone erodes, teeth loosen and soon they're lost.

Remedies: Brush twice daily, floss and rinse once a day, and get a professional cleaning twice a year. If you have the disease, your dentist will clean out the pockets of bacteria surgically and add a prescription antibacterial rinse — chlorhexidine (Peridex or PerioGard) — to your daily regimen.

Dentures

If you wear dentures, vigilance is still key, says Pyle. "Food can get under dentures and irritate and inflame tissues."

Remedies: Take dentures out at night, soak them in water and let the mouth rest. Remove and rinse dentures after you eat, brushing with a regular toothbrush or a special denture tooth brush. If your dentures wobble, consider dental implants. They are expensive — around $1,500 per implant — but provide extra stability. Implants are especially good for those who only have a few missing teeth.

Oral Cancers

Close to 37,000 Americans will get oral or pharyngeal cancer in 2012, and more than half will be age 62 or older. The greatest risk factors are tobacco and alcohol. "Every time you smoke, you increase the temperature of your mouth so that you may damage skin cells," says Vieira. "And you are exposing the tissue to chemical toxins. Alcohol also damages the cells."

Remedies: Stop using tobacco. Dentists can prescribe medications such as varenicline (Chantix) and products such as nicotine lozenges that decrease the urge for nicotine.

"If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation," says Pyle. The American Dietary Guidelines recommend no more than one drink daily for women and two for men.

Also key: Watch for oral cancer symptoms as well, says Vieira. These can include a lump or thickening in the cheek, a sore throat, difficulties chewing or swallowing, or a red or white mouth ulcer that never heals. If you have any of these, see your doctor.

Also of interest: Are teeth whiteners worth the money?

Dorothy Foltz-Gray is a freelance writer who lives in North Carolina.