Keeping Your Loved One’s Mouths Healthy As They Age

Aging affects all the body’s cells, organs, and tissues. The mouth and gums are not spared. As you age, you are more and more susceptible to specific health conditions, and being on some medication may also affect oral health. As your loved ones age, oral health becomes more and more critical, and visits to the dentist for oral checkups are more necessary.

Aging and Oral Health

As you and your loved one age, the body changes over time. Some of these changes are:

• Your cell renewal rate becomes slower and slower
• Your tissues lose elasticity and become thinner
• Your bones lose density and become more susceptible to fractures
• Your immune system may weaken, making you more susceptible to infections and making the infections take longer to heal

All these changes affect the mouth too. Your elderly loved ones will be more susceptible to oral infections, and these infections may take longer to heal. As bones lose density, tooth loss also becomes a risk to look out for. Our Austin preventative dentists is there for you and your loved ones to help you maintain a healthy mouth and strong teeth.

What are the Common Oral Health Problems in Older Adults

Dry Mouth

Due to medicine use or certain medical conditions, older adults are at a high risk of developing a dry mouth. Saliva in the mouth is essential in maintaining oral health. Saliva not only lubricates the mouth but also protects your teeth from decay and keeps your gums healthy.

When your mouth does not produce enough saliva, you run the risk of developing:

• Mouth sores
• Tooth decay and gum disease
• Thrush (yeast infection)
• Difficulty in chewing, tasting, and swallowing food

At Toothbar Austin, our preventative dentistry specialists will help you prevent a dry mouth from worsening further. The family dentists at the toothbar can help you and your loved ones manage a dry mouth and even correct it.

Gum Problems

Older adults are highly likely to suffer from receding gums. Receding gums is when your gums pull away from the teeth exposing the root of the tooth. Receding gums may further escalate to gum inflammation, tooth decay, and tooth loss. At Toothbar Austin, our dentists can clean away plaque and tartar before it develops into gingivitis.

Gingivitis is an early form of gum disease that develops into periodontitis which may cause tooth loss. Older adults may be at higher risk for developing periodontal disease because of habits and illnesses such as:

• A weaker immune system
• Having a dry mouth
• Smoking
• Poor oral hygiene
• Suffering from diabetes

At Toothbar, the family dentist is in a position to offer advice on proper dental care for your loved ones. Avoiding preventable risk factors such as smoking and practicing good oral hygiene is a step in the right direction. Toothbar is also available to offer much-needed advice on healthy dental practices.

Cavities and Oral Cancer

Dental caries is often due to bacterial action. A weakened immune system in older adults may be a risk factor. Austin preventative dentistry has helped older patients from preventing the occurrence of dental caries. When dental caries occur, Austin cosmetic dentistry is there to help you and your loved ones correct and fill cavities.

Oral cancer is more common in older adults and even more common in males. Austin preventive dentistry helps you and your loved ones to make the correct dental choices to prevent oral cancer.

Toothbar offers comprehensive dental care for your children, you, and your elderly loved ones. We offer well-priced quality dental care to keep your mouth healthy. Visit our Downtown Austin location today for comprehensive dental care.