Oral Care in Old Age: the Impact of Osteoporosis and Other Medical Problems

As you age, your dental care needs change. While proper teeth care should start early on in life, you’ll have to take in consideration a couple of age-related specifics that will have an impact on oral health.

Main Causes of Age-Related Dental Problems

A number of medical conditions and some of the medications you may be taking could be causing dental problems. Here are a few of the most common causes of tooth issues:

• Inflammatory conditions interfere with good dental hygiene practices. Arthritis that affects the hands makes it challenging to brush and floss properly.
• Various medications that older individuals take could cause yellowing, decreased saliva production, swelling of the gums and even bleeding. Decreased saliva production makes it more difficult to get rid of bacteria and it increases the risk of plaque accumulation.
• Finally, some people are genetically predisposed to suffering from dental issues in their senior years. Week enamel and a predisposition to teeth yellowing will both become evident with the passage of time.

Oral Care in Old Age and Osteoporosis

A decrease in bone density will affect the jawbone, just like every other bone in the body. Unfortunately, many older people don’t consider the dental health implications of osteoporosis.

The risk of osteoporosis increases in people aged 50 and older. Osteoporosis makes tooth loss three times more likely than in healthy individuals. It’s important to see your dentist frequently and to have the condition of your teeth and jawbone examined. Very often, osteoporosis is impossible to spot unless the necessary testing is completed.

Osteoporosis affecting the jawbone and the teeth may be asymptomatic. In other individuals, a few signs of the issue will include gum disease, tooth loss, ill-fitting dentures and jawbone loss.

If you’re experiencing any of these problems, you’ll need to visit a dental spa immediately. The sooner osteoporosis is treated, the better your oral health is going to be.

Oral Care Tips for Seniors

While you’ll have to be a bit more cautious and attentive in terms of keeping your teeth healthy later on in life, it’s possible to avoid or overcome the most common problems.

If you’re suffering from osteoporosis, your dentist may recommend dental implants as a permanent solution for the loss of teeth. Implants replace the roots of teeth and they maintain jaw support – two characteristics that make them perfect for people suffering from osteoporosis.

Visit your dentist often, especially if you’re experiencing issues like dry mouth, swollen gums or bleeding. They could be the symptoms of another medical condition or they could be indicative of deteriorating oral health.

Do you have questions about keeping your teeth healthy in your senior years? Are you looking for an experienced dentist? The Palm Beach Dental Spa team is highly experienced in dealing with age-related dental issues. Don’t hesitate to call us today at 561-688-7933 or visit the Contact Us page of the website to send us a note.