SENIOR DENTAL CONCERNS

Although there is no reason why people in their 'senior' years should expect to experience problems with their oral health, it is also true that this is a time of life to be especially vigilant and aware of changes in your oral health. The following is a partial list of common concerns for senior dental patients.

Burning mouth 
Burning mouth usually occurs in individuals over 50, but can affect others as well. There are several reasons why it occurs:

• Reduced salivary gland function
  This will cause the mouth to become dry, inviting oral discomfort, difficulty eating or swallowing, loss of taste, and a burning mouth. Salivary gland dysfunction sometimes comes with age. But there are saliva substitutes and rinses that can protect your oral tissues, and soothe burning sensations.
  
  
• Vitamin deficiency
  There is some evidence linking burning mouth syndrome to Vitamin B deficiency.
  
  
• Candida infections
  This is a common oral fungus, usually apparent to the eye but sometimes undetectable. Your dentist can prescribe a topical anti-fungal agent that can help the problem.
  
  
• Dry mouth
  Dry mouth, also known as Xerostomia, is lack of adequate saliva, is more than bothersome for three out of every ten Americans. When the natural flow of saliva is reduced, you can experience trouble swallowing, pain throughout oral tissues and, nearly always, a short-cut to dental caries and gum disease. The tongue sticks, food doesn't have much taste, and digestion suffers. Relief is available in the form of prescriptions for dry mouth toothpaste, special saliva-producing chewing gum, or saliva substitute solutions.
  
  
• Medications
  With some medications, dry mouth can be an unwelcome side effect. Make sure your dentist knows which medications you take in order to help control this problem.

Complications in the mouth related to cancer treatment
Each year about 400,000 people with cancer develop treatment-related complications in the mouth ranging from lesions to chronic dry mouth to bone disintegration. If serious, these complications can be life threatening. While many are unavoidable, some can be prevented or minimized.

Whenever possible, a pre-therapy dental evaluation with a full set of mouth x-rays should be performed. Any decay, gum disease and abscesses should be treated, if time permits, prior to chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.

Problems with dentures
Many denture wearers breathe a sigh of relief when they get their first pair of dentures because they think their dental problems are over. What they soon realize, however, is that they have just traded some old problems for new ones.

Even the best dentures can't compete with natural teeth in ability to chew food efficiently and comfortably. As the years go by, the supporting ridges that remain after teeth have been removed gradually change and get smaller.

For most patients, their dentures need to be "relined" or "refitted" every 2-4 years so that the denture will conform to the changing ridge.  A large change in weight can also alter the shape of the mouth, causing changes in the fit.

Changes of the teeth and gums
Long-term exposure to plaque and changes in the dentin within the tooth cause teeth to darken. The gums may recede and uncover the roots. Exposed roots will be darker than the enamel part of the tooth and are prone to decay. Fillings can decay and darken, too, as they weaken over time.

Dry Mouth (see above) may develop. Saliva is useful to lubricate, wash away plaque, and neutralize the acid produced by plaque.  Flow of saliva can be reduced by a medical disorder or be a side effect of antihistamine, decongestants, pain killers or diuretics.

The build-up of plaque will accelerate tooth decay.  There will also be more gum infection which will cause a loss of bone support for the teeth.  Poorly-fitting or poorly-cleaned dentures, illness, and some medications increase the severity of the problem.

Impact of tooth loss on the health of seniors
In the past, the loss of teeth was dismissed as a natural part of the aging process, and dentures were considered a normal sign of old age. While such thinking is rapidly becoming a thing of the past, there is still not a general awareness of the seriousness of edentulism.

Multiple tooth loss is most commonly caused by periodontal disease, i.e. gum and bone disease. Periodontal disease has a high statistical correlation with chronic debilitating disease, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and arthritis.

Studies now show a shortened life expectancy by as much as 10 years for people who have lost their natural teeth, when compared to those who have kept their teeth.