Can Today’s Teeth Withstand The “Test Of Time”?
Think about this: As the life spans of humans continue to increase, so does the “age” of our natural teeth. The point is, teeth are “living” a lot longer now than they ever have before and senior dental problems, from dry mouth and periodontal disease to missing or rotting teeth and oral cancer is more and more prevalent. It’s more imperative than ever for us to take care of our teeth once the “golden years” are upon us.
If your eyes are the windows to your soul, your mouth can be a window to your overall health. So if you want to be a healthy senior, who is still jogging, swimming, playing tennis or golfing well into the latter tears of your life, then you better start with your oral health!
What The Numbers Show
Whether it’s due to transportation issues, lack of insurance, or dental anxiety, many seniors avoid trips to the dentist and the numbers show it.
- 23% of seniors 65 and older have not been to the dentist in the last 5 years.
- More Black and Hispanic Seniors and those with lower incomes and less education have not been to the dentist in the past 5 years.
- 16% of all seniors 65 and older report that the condition of their teeth and mouth is poor.
- Currently, 1.5 million seniors receive care in 16,700 nursing homes and 50 to 77 percent of those nursing home residents experience total tooth loss.
The Correlation between Your Teeth and Overall Health
Often, your tongue, teeth and gums give your dentist clues to other illnesses in your body, including heart or liver disease, eating disorders, diet deficiencies, anemia, diabetes, arthritis, HIV, osteoporosis, and even some autoimmune diseases. For instance, research has proven a correlation between gum disease and heart disease. In fact, if you look at the similarities between heart disease and periodontal disease, you’ll see that they have smoking, stress, poor diet, excessive weight gain, and low exercise levels in common. We know that a tooth infection can lead to bacterial endocarditis which is an infection of the heart valves. And severe periodontal disease can cause higher incidences of stroke.
Ignoring you dental issues can lead to bigger health problems!
Combating Senior Dental Problems
Here are some tips to help you prevent problems from occurring:
- Regular dental visits are essential for senior citizens, even for the 44 percent of elderly adults who no longer have their teeth.
- If you have missing teeth, consider dentures, bridges or implants.
- If you have dentures, when was the last time they were adjusted correctly? Ill-fitting dentures can lead to poor nutrition because of slippage.
- Be screened for oral cancer. Each year, more than 8,000 people die of oral and throat cancer according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Oral cancer may manifest itself as white or red sores in your mouth that hurt. Early detection is key.
- If you have trouble brushing your teeth due to arthritis, consider getting an electronic toothbrush, which is easier to operate.
- If you’re experiencing the onset of periodontal disease, your dentist can prescribe special toothpastes or gels that help combat dental disease, as well as a daily treatments of high-fluoride gel or anti-bacterial rinses.
- There are more than 400 medications which lead to dry mouth. Dry mouth can lead to numerous dental conditions, including dental decay, denture sores, and speech and eating difficulties. Don’t ignore it because dry mouth can be treated. If you’re experiencing dry mouth, talk to your dentist about specially-formulated toothpastes, oral moisturizers, lubricants, non-alcohol-based mouthwashes, or saliva substitutes.
As we hold on to our natural teeth longer, an array of dental complications can arise that previous generations did not have to worry about. However, advances in technology have also given us more solutions. Whereas dentures or bridges used to be the only answer to missing teeth, we now have implants. Laser dentistry has helped reduce some of the anxiety in patients, as annoying sounding dental drills are being replaced by gentler sounding lasers. Dentists now have more tools in their arsenal to combat senior dental problems.
Remember all those years you dragged your kids to the dentist? Now it’s your turn!
About the Author:
Dr. Serge Kupetz, D.D.S. has practiced full-time in New York, NY for more than 10 years. With an emphasis in dental implantology, cosmetic, and laser-related dentistry, he is highly accomplished in the latest techniques for crafting a perfect smile for his patients. A member of the American Dental Association (ADA) and the New York State Dental Association (NYSDA), Dr. Kupetz earned his B.A. and D.D.S from the prestigious New York University College of Dentistry.
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