Udouj, John C DMD

Dental Care For Seniors As you age and as you're medical needs change, your dental treatment options may change as well.

Conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure, can affect your tolerance for anesthetics and some medications. To make sure the treatment choices are appropriate for you, always advise your dentist of your medical conditions. Certain changes to the teeth, gums, and salivary glands commonly occur. These include:

Receding Gum Lines As a person ages, their gums may begin to recede, exposing roots to harmful plaque, which advances tooth decay.

Damage To Fillings With the passing of time, older fillings can degenerate, developing tiny cracks, where plaque that cannot be removed by normal brushing and flossing, can flourish.

Dry Mouth Medical disorders, medications such as diuretics, decongestants, or painkillers, and the aging process itself contribute to the decreased function of the salivary glands. Besides keeping the mouth moist, saliva also helps to keep teeth free from plaque. As the amount of saliva decreases, plaque can accumulate more readily.

Gum Disease Poor dental hygiene and some medications can contribute to the gums separating from the teeth, which can create pockets for plaque to accumulate. This can further tooth decay. Resultant infections can damage and dissolve the bone supporting the teeth, leading to tooth loss.