Dentist in Marietta Discusses Senior Dentistry

As you reach your golden years, your oral health needs will change. You will have unique oral health requirements due to years of wear and tear on your teeth and health conditions. As a result, it can be more difficult to maintain your oral health than when you were younger. Maintaining your oral health as a senior requires semi-annual visits to your dentist in Marietta. Unfortunately, only 23 percent of seniors over the age of 65 have visited the dentist in the past 5 years. As a result, 16 percent of seniors admit that their oral health is in poor status. As your dental care provider, Dr. James Merriman and his hygienists have the information you need to maintain your oral health as a senior.

Protecting Oral Functions and Health

Many seniors require restorative dentistry for several reasons. As you age, your enamel becomes weaker, increasing the risk for tooth decay. In addition, years of chewing and biting can cause the teeth to become weakened, leading to broken or cracked teeth. Often, years of poor oral health will lead to missing teeth. It is estimated over 27 percent of adults over the age of 65 have no remaining teeth.

The health and function of your teeth are vital to ensuring proper nutrition and your quality of life. Damaged teeth need to be restored to protect your oral functions. If damaged teeth are treated early using dental crowns and fillings, we are more likely to save the teeth from extraction. However, if tooth loss has occurred, there are several options to replace missing teeth.

The most common and affordable options to replace missing teeth involve the use of dental bridges and full and partial dentures. However, advancements in dentistry also allow a permanent solution using dental implants.

Combating the Effects of Medications

During the senior years, you may begin taking certain medications that can negatively impact oral health. Blood pressure medications, pain killers, diuretics, and many other common medications can lead to oral complications such as dry mouth, gum disease, tooth decay, and mouth sores. We offer the preventive care needed to help combat the negative effects of medications to protect your oral health.

Treating Dry Mouth

As you age, you may begin to experience difficulties with lack of saliva production, leading to dry mouth. When there is not enough saliva, food particles and bacteria are not properly washed away. In addition, acids in the mouth are not neutralized while the teeth also lose their ability to absorb minerals, such as calcium and fluoride. When dry mouth is left untreated, it can lead to bad breath, tooth decay, gum disease, and many uncomfortable symptoms.

Posted on behalf of Envision Dental