Fort Bend Lifestyles and Homes Magazine Apr 2009: Senior Dental Health, Oral Health, Diabetes and Gum Disease

For most people, keeping your teeth throughout your life can be achieved with proper home care and regular dental checkups. With age come a few more considerations to maintain good oral health.

The good news: prevalence of both partial and total tooth loss by seniors has decreased over the past 30 years, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. The not-so-good news: it is estimated that seniors over the age of 65 have lost an average of 13 teeth and that 26 percent have lost all their teeth.

Persons over the age of 65 are in what we call the second stage of oral health in caring for their remaining natural teeth and/or their partial or full dentures. There are five key considerations in caring for your teeth or dentures in the senior years.

Frequent Daily Brushings – It doesn’t change as we age; brushing and flossing are mandatory for proper care of the teeth. Seniors with arthritis, dexterity problems or other ailments that make it difficult to brush should consult with their doctor or dentist. There are new dental products designed to make dental care easier for arthritis sufferers. Brushing should be done at least two times daily to prevent root or tooth decay. Root decay affects older adults who have exposed root surfaces. Tooth decay occurs when older fillings are weakened or chipped and need replacement. Part of your regular dental checkup includes an examination of existing fillings to determine if replacement is necessary to provide continued protection.

Dry Mouth Dilemma – A common condition in seniors, dry mouth occurs when salivary glands fail to work because of a change in medication or a medical condition. Saliva is fundamental to maintaining good oral health so dry mouth should not be left untreated. There are various methods to restore moisture in the mouth.

Let your dentist know if you have changed medications because there are ways to help prevent the condition.

Denture Care – Whether you have full or partial dentures, they should be brushed inside and outside daily with a soft brush

using denture powder or paste, hand soap or baking soda. Denture technology has advanced significantly which makes them easier to fit and more natural looking. Now, duplicate dentures can be created regardless of the age of the original set of dentures. These new duplicate dentures match perfectly and will fit securely and comfortably. Many patients express peace-of-mind in knowing that a duplicate set of dentures is readily available.

Diabetes and Gum Disease – More than 20 million Americans have diabetes and are at risk for oral health problems including gingivitis, or the early stage of gum disease. Diabetes lowers the ability to resist infection and slows overall healing. Left untreated, gingivitis can lead to periodontitis, a more serious infection that destroys the soft tissue and bone that support the teeth. It can result in the gums pulling away and the loss of teeth. This is just one more reason why persons with diabetes must control their blood glucose level. Follow good dental hygiene, see a dentist every six months and keep your dentist and hygienist informed about any changes to your condition.

Oral Cancer – Affecting more than 30,000 Americans annually, oral cancer most often occurs in people over 40 years of age. Oral cancer includes cancers of the lips, tongue, cheeks, floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses and pharynx (throat) and can be life threatening if not diagnosed and treated early. The biggest problem is the cancer spots are not visible to the naked eye until they are in their late stages. There is a new early detection system (Vizalite) of using a special mouth rinse and light to allow the dentist to see an affected area at the earliest time. See a dentist immediately if gums have any visible red or white patches. Other signs may include an unusual hard spot on the tongue, difficulty chewing or swallowing, sores on the mouth that last longer than two weeks or a chronic sore throat. See a dentist or a physician as soon as possible if there are any concerns.

Timothy Cashion, DDS, practices general dentistry in Sugar Land and has a special interest in senior oral health care.