Old age is not a risk factor for dental complications, and if you care for your teeth properly, they can serve you for a lifetime. However, with age comes numerous health complications that can contribute to oral health issues. The drugs prescribed for these health issues may make it challenging to keep healthy teeth. Also, deterioration of the tissues and nerves in the mouth could put you at risk of developing complications such as gum disease, bad breath, tooth loss, cavities, or even oral cancer.

Therefore, old people require an increasingly complex dental care routine and treatments. When dental problems occur with age, we can find it challenging to speak, chew, or even smile, affecting our physical and social well-being. Understanding the oral health complications associated with old age and the right dental care practices to prevent them is crucial in ensuring that your teeth remain healthy and function for as long as possible.

Dental Concerns for the Elderly

If there is no right dental care as you age, you could experience the following dental health problems:

  1. Tooth decay. As you age, your teeth will likely undergo natural wear and tear, making them more sensitive to microorganisms that cause tooth decay.

  2. Gum diseases. Gums tend to recede more with age. This exposes the tooth root making it more vulnerable to cavities. Gum disease begins with swollen gums caused by irritation from drugs or diseases such as diabetes. When left untreated, gum disease could progress and cause tooth loss.

  3. Tooth sensitivity. Receding gums and weakened tooth structure in old age increases the risk of tooth sensitivity. Tooth sensitivity may be experienced when consuming very hot or cold drinks or foods.

  4. Denture-induced complications. Dentures are temporary teeth that replace lost or severely damaged teeth in older adults. Poorly fitting dentures coupled with poor oral hygiene can result in fungus accumulation which causes swelling of the tissue below the dentures.

  5. Dry mouth. Dry mouth is often a result of low levels of saliva secretion. Saliva is not only necessary for keeping your mouth moist but also washes out the bacteria and acid from the mouth. A dry mouth is associated with medication, which increases the risk of gum disease and tooth decay.

Dental Care Tips for the Elderly

Just because older people are more susceptible to dental issues does not mean that you must experience them in the future. Maintaining your oral health at its optimal state can help you prevent these complications and their side effects. The following are some dental care tips for seniors:

Brush and Floss Daily

Brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing regularly are basic oral hygiene practices. Brushing your teeth helps remove plaque accumulated on the teeth and gums. Often accumulation of food particles on the teeth is the first stage of most dental health issues. For elderly adults without teeth, using a clean and soft cloth can help to remove the plaque.

Older adults with arthritis could have trouble brushing their teeth due to difficulty holding a toothbrush. If your aging loved one feels pain or stiffens the hands when holding a toothbrush, they could use an electric toothbrush to enlarge the toothbrush handle to make a move easier.

Additionally, it is important to use fluoride toothpaste since it helps protect and strengthen your tooth structure. Dentists often advise older adults with an increased risk of dental cavities to switch to fluoride toothpaste and invest in a floured rinse.

Use Antibacterial Mouthwash

Rinsing your mouth with an antibacterial mouthwash after brushing or flossing your teeth helps prevent plaque build-up and kills harmful bacteria in the mouth. Accumulation of bacteria on the teeth results in the formation of plaque that could cause inflammation of the gums and gingivitis.

Since most dental care takes place at home, brushing and flossing have been the cornerstone of oral hygiene. Unfortunately, these methods may be insufficient to achieve optimum oral hygiene and health. Antibacterial mouthwash reduces bacteria in the mouth and provides a refreshing feel for your mouth.

Proper Denture Care

Since the likelihood of tooth loss increases as you age, you may require dentures to replace damaged or lost teeth. If you already have dentures, it is vital to take care of them by following the instructions given by your dentist. As soon as your mouth is fitted with dentures, it may not be easy to feel normal. Therefore, you should start by chewing on soft foods and chewing using both sides of the mouth to avoid pressure on one side.

The dentist will recommend washing them regularly and storing them in water for denture care. If you feel highly uncomfortable or experience symptoms like swelling of the gums, it is crucial to consult with your dentist.

Use Calcium Supplements

With the increasing incidences of arthritis, rheumatism, and osteoporosis with age, there is increased awareness of the need for calcium in our bodies. In addition to regulating the heart rate and conducting nerve impulses, calcium helps to strengthen the bone and teeth structures.

Our bodies do not produce enough calcium. Therefore, we obtain it from food. Due to the increased calcium needs for elderly individuals, it may be challenging to acquire the body’s recommended intake through foods. Therefore, the dentist could recommend supplementation. Calcium supplementation helps prevent instances such as chipping or breaking of the tooth enamel.

Check Your Diet

What we put in our mouths contributes significantly to our oral health. As part of a dental care routine for seniors, the diet should be considered. If you want to maintain the health and functionality of your teeth longer, you should avoid sugary and starchy foods. When the sugar in these foods is broken down in the mouth, it feeds bacteria, producing acids that damage the teeth. Additionally, elderly individuals are advised to stick to soft foods. Biting on hard foods could result in broken and fractured teeth.

Increased water intake should also be an adjustment that you can make to your diet. Water helps rinse the bacteria and acids from your mouth and prevent tooth decay. 

Avoid Smoking

Many people are aware that smoking is not suitable for their overall health. However, most smokers fail to recognize the risk of oral health complications associated with this behavior. Smoking is associated with:

  • Teeth staining. Teeth staining is one of the most common effects of smoking. The tar and nicotine in the tobacco can cause your teeth to turn yellow within a short time. After years of smoking, the tooth discoloration resulting from smoking can be challenging to correct.

  • Gum disease. Smoking increases the susceptibility of developing gum disease in older adults. Not only does smoking weaken the immune system, but it also deprives the gums of oxygen. This makes it challenging for infected gums to heal. Gum disease is the most common cause of tooth loss in older adults.

  • Mouth Cancer. Mouth cancer affects the lips, roof of the mouth, tongue, or cheeks.

  • Smoking is one of the most significant risk factors for mouth cancer. Combined with other factors associated with aging, an older adult could develop cancer from smoking. Therefore, it is not too late to quit the habit.

Regular Dental Checkups

Older adults are advised not to miss a dental appointment, especially if they have dentures or other dental procedures. During your dental visit, your dentist can check the condition of your dentures and look out for any complications. Since the nerve function diminishes with age, you may fail to notice some dental health problems cropping up. 

With x-rays and other specialized equipment, your dentist can detect tooth decay, gum disease, and other complications and treat them before they damage your teeth. If you have been diagnosed with additional medical issues from your last dental appointment, it is crucial to disclose the details of the diagnosis and medications you may be taking as a result. This will help the dentist understand the root cause of the complications that may be arising.

Factors that Increase Risk of Dental Health Complications in Older Adults

Old age in itself is not a risk factor for dental complications. Some people maintain their teeth without any complications. However, the issues that come with aging increase the risk of developing dental complications and sometimes make it challenging to maintain the right level of dental care. Some of the common aging factors that could affect your dental health and care include:

Overall Deterioration of the Body Cells

The effects of aging are felt in all organs, cells, and tissues in the body. These changes could affect the functionality of your body, including the gums and teeth. As you age, cell renewal happens slower, and your tissues become thinner and less elastic. These changes could affect the mouth’s bone and tissue and increase the risk of developing severe dental complications later.

Additionally, older adults have a weaker immune system making it a challenge for their bodies to fight off minor infections. Therefore, a minor issue of gum inflammation in these individuals could result in severe infections like periodontal gum disease and even tooth loss.

Disease Conditions

The well-being of your aging mouth is directly linked to your body’s overall health. Some conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, all more prevalent in old age, have been proven to affect your oral health.

The link between a condition such as diabetes and oral health complications is the high sugar levels in the blood. Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus weakens your body’s ability to fight infections that occur in the mouth. Additionally, high sugar in the blood associated with this condition creates a conducive bacteria environment. Most individuals who have diabetes may experience poor healing of the cells, which worsens dental infections.

Physical Limitations

Many older adults have a problem brushing their teeth or following through with other dental care routines. Old age could bring difficulties holding and using a toothbrush. This could increase the risk of developing dental health issues like tooth decay. Sometimes, conditions like Alzheimer’s disease or dementia could play a significant role in an elder’s ability to care for their teeth as it is required.

When physical limitations are at plain in your loved one’s ability to maintain proper oral hygiene and dental care, it would be best to have an at-home caregiver help them with daily hygiene activities. Unfortunately, individuals who have dementia or Alzheimer’s may not be willing to sit and allow you to stick a toothbrush in their mouths. Therefore, you will need to exercise a high level of patience and understanding when you help them.

Medications

With age, you may find yourself taking a variety of medications for the different health conditions that arise at this stage of life. Whether prescribed by the doctor or over the county, many medications could significantly affect your oral health. Dry mouth is one of the most common side effects of medications. Saliva prints accumulations of food particles on your teeth and neutralizes mouth accidents. A dry mouth means that there is less secretion of saliva.

Dry mouth from medications increases your risk of developing tooth decay and oral thrush. When you visit your dentist for regular check-ups, it would be wise to disclose information about your health conditions and the medications you are taking. A skilled dentist, in this case, will devise an appropriate way to help you reverse the adverse effects of the medications on your oral health.

Find a Skilled Northridge Dentist Near Me

We use our mouths for eating, speaking, breathing, drinking, and other activities that could affect our overall health. Like other parts of our bodies, the teeth and gums also age. This increases your risk of developing oral problems that can affect your overall health and quality of life. However, deterioration of your oral health can be slowed if you pay more attention to the care of your mouth and teeth. Old age comes with many health conditions, which make it challenging to maintain good oral health. Therefore, dental care for older adults should be a priority.

With annual check-ups and good oral hygiene, you can maintain a healthy mouth. If you are already experiencing some oral health complications, it is vital to seek immediate dental care. When left untreated, minor dental complications could result in far worse health risks. At Northridge Advanced Dentistry, we provide specialized treatment for all dental complications to our patients in Northridge, CA. Call us today at 818-701-3010.