Seniors: keep that smile!

Senior citizens can keep their teeth for a lifetime. Contrary to common belief, tooth loss is primarily the result of oral disease — not the aging process.

Seniors make up the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population; more than half of this age group does not visit a dentist even once a year — one of the key preventive strategies in ensuring that teeth last a lifetime.

Regular dental visits are especially important if seniors suffer from dry mouth, a condition sometimes associated with aging. Dry mouth is caused by a decrease of saliva, which plays a major role in preventing tooth decay by rinsing away food particles and neutralizing harmful acids.

Dry mouth also can be caused by commonly prescribed medications. Dentists often can treat dry mouth.

Family members can encourage seniors who are disabled or have trouble getting around to seek dental care. Seniors planning to enter a nursing home should inquire about on-site dental care. Seniors with no teeth still need to visit the dentist regularly since many aspects of oral health, such as adjusting ill-fitting dentures and oral cancer screenings, also are handled at routine dental visits.

Along with regular dental visits, here are other preventive measures to help keep seniors from needing dentures:

• Floss daily and brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. (Studies show that seniors who brush regularly with fluoride toothpaste or use a fluoride rinse or gel regularly have fewer cavities.) Proper dental hygiene also may help prevent cavities where old fillings have chipped or where root surfaces are left unprotected by receding gums.
  
• Snack in moderation and avoid snacks with sugars or cooked starches (such as potato chips).
  
• Tell the dentist about any changes in medication.
  
• Seniors experiencing difficulties in cleaning teeth (due to loss of agility, arthritis, etc.) should ask the dentist or dental hygienist to recommend a mechanical toothbrush that would be easier to use.

Information courtesy of the Academy of General Dentistry