IN YOUR 40s…

It’s all about maintenance

RISK WHEN YOU TAKE A BITE, IT’S THE LOWER JAW THAT MOVES AND OVER TIME THE LOWER INCISORS BECOME CHIPPED AND UNEVEN.

SOLUTION CHIPS CAN EASILY BE FIXED WITH BONDING COMPOSITE: A WHITE ENAMELLIKE MATERIAL BONDED ONTO TEETH EDGES. IT LASTS UP TO TEN YEARS, COSTS £125-£275 PER TOOTH AND IS MUCH CHEAPER AND LESS DESTRUCTIVE THAN VENEERS, WHICH REMOVE THE ENAMEL, THE STRONGEST PART OF THE TOOTH.

RISK STRESS FRACTURES – VERTICAL LINES ON THE FRONT TEETH, WHICH STAIN BROWN – CAUSED BY TEETH-GRINDING AND NAIL-BITING ALSO START TO APPEAR IN YOUR 40S. TEA, COFFEE, RED WINE, CURRY, SOY SAUCE, GREEN TEA AND ACAI JUICE CAN ALSO STAIN TEETH, MAKING THEM YELLOWER. A COMMON MISTAKE IS TO SCRUB HARDER AND PUT MORE TOOTHPASTE ON THE BRUSH BUT THIS ABRADES THE ENAMEL, REVEALING MORE OF THE NEXT LAYER, DENTINE, WHICH IS YELLOWER, AND WHICH CANNOT BE BLEACHED. WHITENING TOOTHPASTES CAN REMOVE LIGHT, SUPERFICIAL STAINING BUT TAKE CARE TO SELECT ONE THAT’S NOT ABRASIVE.

SOLUTION WHITENING CAN CONCEAL STRESS FRACTURES AND REVERSE ORGANIC

STAIN BUILD-UP. BUT IT’S CRUCIAL TO OPT FOR SLOW, CONTROLLED BLEACHING SUPERVISED BY A DENTIST. THIS INVOLVES USING TRAYS WORN OVERNIGHT TO GIVE CONTINUAL RELEASE OVER A PERIOD OF SIX HOURS RATHER THAN USING AGGRESSIVE WHITENING PRODUCTS YOU CAN BUY ONLINE. EXPECT TO PAY ABOUT £600.

RISK TEETH CLENCHING AND GRINDING DURING THE NIGHT – TEMPRO-MANDIBULAR JOINT DYSFUNCTION (TMD) – PUTS TEETH UNDER UP TO 40 TIMES MORE PRESSURE THAN DURING THE DAY AND CAN CAUSE THEM TO CRACK.

SOLUTION THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THIS IS TO GET A TOOTH GUARD – LIKE A THIN GUM SHIELD – MADE BY YOUR DENTIST, WHICH YOU WEAR EVERY NIGHT. UNFORTUNATELY IT DOESN’T BREAK THE HABIT – IT JUST PROTECTS THE TEETH FROM DAMAGE SO IT’S A LIFELONG COMMITMENT. EXPECT TO PAY AROUND £100 FOR THE SIMPLEST SHIELD.