Important Dental Care for Seniors from a General Dentist

A general dentist spends some of their time providing services for seniors. Dental health is closely related to overall health and that becomes more obvious as a person ages. For example, gum disease can lead to serious health issues like heart disease and diabetes. These are conditions that have the potential to be life-threatening at any age, but the risk is greater with seniors.

A general dentist discusses senior dental care

Here are some of the reasons our general dentist says dental care for seniors is so important:

• Heart disease: As mentioned above, gum disease has already been linked to heart disease. It turns out good oral hygiene does more than keep teeth and gums healthy. It also protects against serious health conditions like strokes and heart attacks. The American Academy of Periodontology states that those with advanced gum disease are two times more likely to develop heart disease or coronary artery disease. The presence of conditions like tooth decay and gum disease can be used to predict a person's cholesterol levels and heart disease
• Pneumonia: Seniors with poor oral health are more likely to develop conditions like pneumonia. It is often the result of breathing in droplets that contain bacteria into the lungs. This makes seniors more susceptible to the condition since some have difficulty brushing and flossing their teeth properly
• Diabetes: The advanced stage of gum disease, called periodontitis, makes it harder for the body to use insulin. This makes it harder for the body to regulate sugar levels and the high levels of sugar in the blood promote tooth decay
• Discolored teeth: Teeth lose their original color as a person ages due to the many things that stain them during everyday life, like drinking coffee. This ruins the appearance of their teeth and it can affect the person's confidence. Fortunately, teeth whitening treatments are great at removing these types of stains
• Dry mouth: A person might develop a dry mouth as they age due to some of the medications they are taking. That makes them more vulnerable to oral problems since saliva helps to keep the mouth clean. A general dentist can help such people to figure out the cause of their condition and make appropriate recommendations
• Root decay: The roots of a person's teeth can become damaged by decay if the person's gums have receded. This is more likely to happen as a person ages. Teeth roots are not covered up with enamel which protects the top part of teeth. As a result, teeth roots are easily damaged by acids in the mouth
• Misaligned teeth: A person is more likely to lose one or more of their teeth as they age. When missing teeth are not replaced, the remaining teeth might move towards the gap; this is the body's attempt at closing up the hole so the person's bite is restored. It leads to misaligned teeth, which can lead to other issues like tooth decay

Do you need senior dental care?

Call our Bakersfield clinic to set up an appointment and get the dental care you need to keep your mouth and body healthy.

Request an appointment here: https://brimhalldentalgroup.com or call Brimhall Dental Group at (661) 249-1122 for an appointment in our Bakersfield office.

Check out what others are saying about our services on Yelp: Read our Yelp reviews.