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The importance of good dental health in the elderly
Oral health directly affects general health and quality of life of seniors. According to the “American Dental Association”, dental disease is a frequent reason for emergency visits to dental and medical departments.
Different medications and prevalent chronic diseases in older persons, such as heart disease, and diabetes, increase the incidence of dental problems among seniors.
For this reason, maintaining good oral health, which is directly tied to overall health, is a top priority for older persons. As in childhood, teeth in old age have their own particular requirements. Therefore, it is important to maintain dental health at all times with the correct care and periodic checkups.
Why Is The Good Dental Health Important For the Elderly?
We use our mouth in every day of our lives. For example, we use our mouth to breathe, eat, drink and speak and perform a variety of other activities that can affect body’s general health.
With aging, teeth and gum health deteriorates like the rest of the body resulting in different dental issues such as gum diseases, or tooth loss. And, when you age, different factors can also lead to the development of periodontal disease or carries such as the use of dental prostheses and certain drugs.
These factors can negatively impact your overall oral health. However, these oral problems can be solved if more attention Is given to dental care.
But It’s ok if you don’t want to care about the appearance of your smile or your ability to eat and speak normally, but you should know that there are other vital reasons to maintain your oral health as you age.
That is because, your mouth is like a window that opens into the rest of your body. Tooth decay, tooth loss, and oral health issues can negatively affect your entire health and well-being. They increase the risk of certain serious health diseases, some of which you may not have even expected!
Cardiovascular Diseases
Oral bacteria can easily enter the bloodstream through gum tissue. It has been demonstrated that this bacterium adheres to the walls of blood arteries, contributes to cardiovascular disease, and may even cause heart attacks and strokes [1].
Respiratory Infections
Poor oral hygiene is detrimental to your respiratory health. Research indicates that bacteria from the mouth can go to the lungs and cause infections in older persons such as pneumonia [2].
Periodontal Disease In Diabetics
Seniors with diabetes are more likely to get the periodontal disease. it can become significantly more difficult in diabetic individuals to control blood sugar levels once gum disease has developed [3].
Fortunately, you can prevent the risk of certain health diseases and oral issues with proper dental care. This prevention can be achieved by routine oral health assessment, daily oral care, oral health care planning, and in severe cases referring to a dental professional.
References
- Joseph, B. K., Kullman, L., & Sharma, P. N. (2016). The oral-systemic disease connection: a retrospective study. Clinical oral investigations, 20(8), 2267-2273.
- Mojon, P. (2002). Oral health and respiratory infection. Journal-Canadian Dental Association, 68(6), 340-345.
- Albert, D. A., Ward, A., Allweiss, P., Graves, D. T., Knowler, W. C., Kunzel, C., … & Lalla, E. (2012). Diabetes and oral disease: implications for health professionals. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1255(1), 1-15.
