Older Patients And Oral Health Problems

14 / 11 / 2017

Older Patients And Oral Health Problems

Taking Care Of All Generations At Our Ipswich Dental Practice

However young we may be at the moment, inevitably we all grow older and have to face the challenges that this can bring. Even our teeth and gums are affected by ageing, and in today’s blog, we look at some of the particular problems growing older brings for our teeth and gums. Along with this, we’ll also take a quick look at treatments available at the Lighthouse Dental Practice which can restore teeth to a strong and healthy state which some of us may need as we age.

General wear and tear

However well we look after our teeth throughout our lives, the longer we live, the more likely we are to suffer from problems such as worn or broken teeth. Whilst a healthy tooth is much less likely to break than an unhealthy and therefore weaker one, accidents can, and do, happen. Where the damage is not too severe, teeth that have broken, or decayed, can generally be restored with a filling or a dental crown.

Lost teeth

Some teeth may break so badly that it is no longer viable to restore them. In these cases, the teeth may need to be extracted. These can then be replaced by the use of either a partial denture, a bridge or dental implants and we will discuss these options with each patient as circumstances will be different from person to person. Dental implants though, are the most realistic, long-lasting and strong tooth replacement method and are well worth considering.

Gum disease

Older people are in a higher risk category for having gum disease and there are a number of reasons for this. Aside from an increased risk of diabetes as an older person, which in turn increases the likelihood of gum disease, the immune system may not be so strong and the gums are therefore more infection-prone.

One of the most likely reasons though is the reduced saliva flow as we get older. This can regularly lead to a dry mouth which is a perfect environment for gum damaging bacteria. In addition to looking after your teeth and gums well at home, we recommend that older patients make sure to stay well hydrated and to visit our Ipswich dental hygienist on a regular basis to have any hardened bacteria removed from the teeth and gum line.

With good home brushing and flossing, as well as seeing both the dentist and hygienist at the Lighthouse Dental Practice in Ipswich on a regular basis, there is no reason why you should not be able to keep most if not all of your teeth in good condition well into old age.

Where teeth are lost, there are still many options that ensure that not only do you have a full set of teeth when you smile, but are also able to continue to eat a healthy and varied diet as you grow older.

Local patients can be assured that our experienced dental team will make sure that we will do all that we can to enable you to have a healthy mouth, and therefore a better quality of life, right into your old age.

Please call the Lighthouse Dental Practice today on 01473 257 379 to see how we can help.

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If you would like to speak to a member of our friendly team about any of the issues in this article please visit our contact page or call us on 01473 257379.