One of the criteria for a healthy elderly person is “8020”, which means that an 80-year-old person has 20 teeth of his or her own in the mouth. So far, not many elderly people meet this criterion. Although life expectancy per capita in China has reached over 80 years old, and oral prevention and treatment conditions are improving, it is still very difficult to meet people with 20 healthy teeth in their mouths if dentures are excluded. The reason is that dental care is a long-term process, expecting to think about preserving their valuable teeth only after the age of 80, it is already too late. The common sense that teeth are original and that they are your own is probably shared by all. However, it is rare for people to consciously take preventive dental care or think about protecting their teeth until they have to. From the perspective of human growth, there are two sets of teeth in a person’s life, the first set of milk teeth from 6 months after birth to about 12 years old, and the second set of teeth that are gradually replaced by permanent teeth after the milk teeth are lost. The second set is the teeth that are gradually replaced by permanent teeth after the milk teeth have fallen out. We don’t care about the milk teeth because they last for a short time and even if they are damaged, we can expect the permanent teeth to erupt and relieve the pain. However, permanent teeth start to erupt at the age of 6 and will be with us for the rest of our lives until the end of our lives, and that is why permanent teeth are so valuable. Some people think that teeth will fall out naturally when people get old, but this is wrong. If you are healthy and your teeth are properly protected, it is not a dream to have your teeth with you for the rest of your life, but it is completely possible. Generally speaking, from the age of 6 years old, teeth gradually erupt and replace the milk teeth after completing the normal tooth arrangement of permanent teeth, until the age of 35 years old, this stage of dental diseases rarely appear, teeth are in a relatively healthy and beautiful period. As we grow older, the tooth surfaces and adjacent surfaces will wear down, manifesting themselves in natural phenomena such as flattening of the tooth surfaces, tooth hypersensitivity, and easy food ingrowth. Especially after the age of 35, these problems will gradually become apparent. However, this phenomenon is not enough to damage the teeth if you continue to keep them clean and hygienic with regular checkups and dental care. But after all, the problems have already started to appear, and if we don’t pay attention to them, I’m afraid that the goal of “8020” may be lost due to the neglect at this stage. Therefore, we regard the period from 35 to 50 years old as a critical period for dental care. Unfortunately, due to various factors, not many people are really aware of the importance of dental care during this period. There are many reasons for this, such as busy work schedule, bad time off work, too much trouble to see a doctor, etc. But the main reason is that the mouth is still too full. But the main reason is that there are many teeth in the mouth, even if one or two are broken, proposed or pulled, it is not relevant. I am often surprised and admire some people, only the front teeth left in the mouth, but also can eat as they like, I really do not know how they overcome and tenaciously adhere to the. The dental factors that cause the early abandonment of chasing the “8020” goal are mainly dental caries and periodontal disease. From the perspective of the current development of dentistry, most of the tooth damage caused by caries can be solved by restoration, so as to retain the complete teeth and restore the good chewing function and cosmetic effect. However, periodontal disease is still the “incurable disease” among oral diseases. Because the fundamental change of periodontal disease is the destruction of the alveolar bone around the teeth, it is difficult to support the teeth with a small amount of bone, and the teeth without bone support can only behave in a wobbly manner. Just like a big tree without hard soil to support it, collapse is inevitable. The reason why periodontal disease is currently the “incurable disease” in oral diseases is that there is no way to restore the damaged bone in its original form, while the periodontal inflammation will continue to destroy the bone with the support of various stimulating factors, although there are treatment means, but most can only maintain the status quo, control the development, but difficult to Reconstruction. Obviously, the only way to avoid this evil is to hope for prevention, and not inflammation is essential to prevent periodontal bone destruction. We often talk to patients or friends about preventive dental care, such as brushing well, eating less snacks, regular check-ups, etc. In fact, there is another very important preventive measure, as long as you pay attention to yourself, but often forgotten by people, or subjective, or objective do not pay attention to, that is, a regular life, good health care, even I myself sometimes neglect. Because, although periodontal disease is related to bacterial attack in the mouth, there are many systemic factors that are not particularly clear so far. According to my own experience, a dysfunction or disorder of the systemic immune system is likely to be one of the important factors causing periodontal disease, and poor rest can make one’s resistance lower. If you think about it, is it possible that you also get oral fires when you are not well rested, it is not difficult to come to this conclusion. The redness of the tooth bed is called “fire” in Chinese medicine and “periodontitis” in Western medicine. So to advise those who are busy with their careers, “white-collar” people, or busy staying up late playing mahjong, or people who are accustomed to nightlife, when you are accustomed to the day and night life, must think about “8020”.