As the ‘older generation’ we are living very different lives to our mothers and fathers. Being over 50 is not considered ‘old’ any more because most of us believe that we are too young to be old.

Compared to our parents, our generation is much more financially independent, health-oriented, active in the workforce, more attentive to our appearance and outspoken. Personal care is also more important to us, but we want to care for rather than disguise our changing physical appearance.

With a more proactive and younger outlook on life, how should we be looking after our bodies to help us make sure that they can keep up with our active minds? We spoke to four experts – this month we are talking to our first expert, a dentist to get his top tips for healthier younger looking teeth.

MARY’S STORY –
why your teeth can make you look years younger
54 year old Mary recalls what dental care meant when she was a little girl and how different it is today: “You used to be terrified to visit the dentist but I was still made to go regularly. In those days the approach was very much ‘pull them out and fill them in’, at what seemed like every opportunity. It’s no wonder, that as soon as I was 18 that I stopped going to the dentist for eight years.”

Mary returned to the dentist when she was pregnant: “I just felt it was the right thing to do to check that my mouth was healthy as part of looking after myself and my baby.”

Since then, Mary has gone to the dentist for regular check-ups twice a year and has noticed how dental care has changed: “Dentists now focus more on prevention rather than cure. When I was much younger they filled most of my teeth which has meant that they have got weaker as I have aged. As a result two had to be extracted recently because nothing more could be done with them.

“My dentist is now much more focused on encouraging me to take better care of my teeth in order to avoid further work on them. He has taught me how to brush better and also encouraged me to floss regularly. Flossing seems such a faff and it wasn’t something that I was brought up doing as a child, but it does help me to keep my tooth health in check. I’m much more aware of spending time taking care of my teeth and making sure that I brush carefully on the gum line to keep gum disease at bay. After all, this is the only set of real teeth I have and I intend to keep them – despite what else the ageing process throws at me!”