Oral Health Across Your Lifespan
Whether you’re 5 or 50, caring for your teeth is an important part of overall health.
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Transcript
DR. RODGERS: Some forms of health care, like testing for heart disease, only become essential in our later years. Taking care of your oral health, however, is a life-long commitment.
Hi, I’m Dr. Griffin Rodgers, a director at the NIH. My colleague, Dr. Rena D’Souza, Director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, explains.
DR. D’SOUZA: Whether you’re 5 or 50, caring for your teeth is an important part of overall health. But the dental challenges we face are different in each stage of life. Taking care of your child’s teeth allows them to chew their food and grow adult teeth. Cavities also form more quickly in baby teeth.
As we age, we become more vulnerable to gum disease and tooth loss. Brushing and flossing regularly can help prevent these conditions.
DR. RODGERS: For best oral health outcomes, see your dentist for a checkup at least once a year. Parents should take children to their first dental appointment at around 12 months of age.
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