Sumiko at 62: How to keep your teeth as you age and why having 20 teeth at 80 matters
Teeth wear down, gums recede and dry mouth can increase the risk of decay. But much of this is preventable and healthy teeth can last a lifetime, say dentists.
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There is growing evidence that the number and condition of our teeth affect how well we age.
ST ILLUSTRATION: MANNY FRANCISCO
For someone with a morbid dread of going to the doctor, I am surprisingly sanguine when it comes to the dentist. It wasn’t always this way, and my change of heart has to do with, well, strawberries.
For the first half of my life, I was dental-phobic. The terror took root when I was eight. A badly decayed baby tooth needed to be extracted, and halfway through the procedure, a jolt of pain sent me jumping out of the chair. I refused to let the dentist finish.