1. Are your teeth healthy? How many teeth will you have left by the age of 80? At present, half of the elderly people aged 60~80 have few teeth left, which is far from the requirement of the world health quality “8020” plan (20 teeth left at 80 years old). According to statistics, the incidence of periodontal disease among adults in China is as high as 97%. Periodontal disease has become the first cause of tooth loss among adults in China. 2, periodontal disease, how great is the harm? A dental expert once used an image metaphor to tell the danger of periodontal disease: “Dental caries will only break a tooth, but periodontal disease will cause a row of teeth to fall off.” Periodontal disease can cause bleeding gums, pus, bad breath, and eventually lead to the loosening and loss of multiple teeth throughout the mouth. In addition to this, localized infection from periodontal disease can also act as a focal point, making the patient’s mouth a reservoir of bacteria that can follow the circulation of blood to other parts of the body, causing disease in other parts of the body in some important organs. Studies have shown that periodontal disease can cause not only digestive diseases but also systemic diseases such as diabetes, respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Some scholars have pointed out that patients with periodontal disease are 1.4 times more likely to have coronary heart disease and stroke than those with normal periodontal disease and 2.1 times more likely to have stroke. 3, dental care and dental tips (1) eat the right vitamin C Related studies have shown that the level of vitamin C intake has the highest correlation with periodontal disease susceptibility. A study published in the British Dental Journal in 2008 showed that 66% of periodontists believe that periodontal disease is related to dietary nutrients, and 70% of them believe that vitamin C plays a key role in the process. At present, the Chinese Nutrition Society recommends that the recommended dietary intake (RNI) of vitamin C is 100mg per day for adults, in addition to some special groups of people whose vitamin C intake should be increased appropriately, such as the elderly, pregnant women, high-temperature workers, etc. (2) The smart use of tea water dentists recommend rinsing the mouth with tea after meals, which can reduce the food residue in the mouth and teeth after meals to prevent the growth of bacteria. Tea is rich in tea polyphenols, which is a natural antioxidant, but also a natural antibacterial agent. Studies have shown that tea polyphenols have a certain preventive effect on periodontal disease, dental caries, bad breath, mouth ulcers and other oral diseases. Tea in addition to tea polyphenols, there is a “dental protection” is fluoride. Most of our daily toothpaste contains fluorine, which has the effect of mineralizing teeth and preventing dental caries! (3) Eat more dietary fiber-rich foods Choose foods with high dietary fiber such as potatoes, green leafy vegetables, beans, etc. can help prevent periodontal disease. Dietary fiber can enhance the chewing effect of the mouth, which can promote the blood circulation of periodontal and gum tissues and make the teeth stronger. It can also remove the food residues and sugars attached to the gap between teeth, so that oral bacteria lose the environment for reproduction and protect our teeth. (4) Do not brush your teeth immediately after eating acidic food Many people think that acidic food will corrode tooth enamel, so you should brush your teeth immediately after eating acidic food such as yogurt and carbonated drinks, which is actually a misconception. This is because tooth enamel will become fragile after being corroded by acid, and brushing at this time may harm tooth enamel. So after eating such food, you may want to rinse your mouth first to reduce the concentration of acid and sugar in your mouth, and wait until your teeth repair themselves for a period of time (recommended time: 1 hour) before brushing your teeth. It is also recommended to use a straw when drinking carbonated beverages, which can reduce the contact time between your teeth and carbonated beverages.