A dentist has a suggestion for Britons contemplating how to look younger. Dr. Sam Jethwa said: “There are a number of common dentistry issues that people experience as they get older which can look incredibly ageing.”
Many older patients don’t realise the ageing impact old dentistry, like fillings and crowns, has on the face.
Dr. Sam explained: “There are a lot of patients with metal fillings and metal-backed crowns which, with age, can look very unnatural and unsightly and can have black marks around the edges.
“I have a lot of patients who have crowns on their teeth. Crowns were used 20 or 30 years ago much more than they were now and back then they were metal-backed and very opaque and that was the only option, and sadly they are still using these in some countries such as Turkey.
“Fortunately though we now have more sophisticated and aesthetically pleasing options such as ultra-thin veneers.”
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He recently highlighted another “very ageing” dental issue Britons hoping to look younger should tackle.
These are receding gums, which are so associated with ageing becoming “long in teeth” is shorthand for growing older.
Dr. Sam said: “Receding gums (also known as long teeth) are most common in adults over 40 and as a result, they’re something that is often regarded as looking very ageing.
“Gingival recession can be caused by periodontal disease which is a bacterial infection of the gum tissue, but more often it is caused by brushing teeth too hard, improper flossing, tobacco use, as well as abnormal tooth position.”
The expert went on: “It sounds like a basic thing but I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to visit the dentist regularly but also to see a dentist who has experience with bite issues.
“People are keeping their teeth for longer these days so now dentistry is about prevention. We need to make sure that any problems are identified and treated early, including tooth wear and erosion from bite issues.
“A person’s smile plays a huge part in their self-image, confidence and indeed physical and mental health.
“While a smile can be incredibly ageing, we are fortunate that there are ways to address this in order to actually make us look younger. It’s important not to underestimate the huge impact of undergoing a smile transformation.”
