"Getting long in the tooth" refers to horses’ teeth, which unlike humans', continue to grow with age. So it is possible to estimate a horse's age by examining the teeth. The longer the teeth the older the horse. In humans, teeth do not continue to grow after adulthood but we might still be able to tell the age based on the conditions of oral health among older adults.
Severity of gum (periodontal) disease increases with age so that by the age 65 years and older, just under one on four people have severe gum disease. At all ages men are more likely than women to have more severe disease. Overall, people at the lowest socioeconomic level have the most severe gum disease. The result is that close to 25 percent of adults 60 years old and older no longer have their natural teeth. In California---a richer state--this rate declines to 13 percent. Having missing teeth, or dentures, can affect nutrition, since people without teeth often prefer soft, easily chewed, heavily processed foods and avoid more nutritional fresh fruits and vegetables.
Oral diseases affect our most basic human needs beyond just eating. Social communication can be greatly impacted by the ability to smile, and speech may also become difficult to produce and to be understand. Oral health might also influence the overall health of the body. Bacteria has been shown to go from the mouth to the heart through the bloodstream. ISo much so that a recent consensus paper calls for cooperation between cardiologists and periodontists in helping patients reduce their risk of heart and gum diseases.
The mouth provides a good indicator of the condition of the body as a whole. People with diabetes are at special risk for gum disease. Dry mouth, often a symptom of undetected diabetes--but is also often caused by over 400 commonly used medications--can cause soreness, ulcers, infections, swallowing difficulty and tooth decay. Smoking aggravates these problems.
Geriatric dentistry is a growing approach of providing treatment to the unique needs of an aging population. As the population of older adults continues to increase wroldwide, the dental profession is becoming better equipped to meet the older adult population’s special needs. Certainly mobility is one of those special needs, and dentistry is beginning to mobilize to take dental care to where the patient needs it most--homes, care facilities and private care residences.
Functional limitations such as difficulty in holding a toothbrush due to stroke or arthritis can make daily dental care difficult. And certainly lacking the cognitive capacity to care for oral health can place an individual at risk for aspiration pneumonia due to bacterial plaque buildup on oral surfaces. Aspiration pneumonia is a significant risk for those suffering from dementia.
Many older adults throughout the world do not have access to dental service. Good evidence exists that oral health improves quality of life. But as important, once teeth are lost the whole structure of the face changes. With dentures, the cheeks becomes more sunken. The face changes. There is no reason for older adults not to maintain their teeth. It is not just about the smile, it is about having something to smile about.
© USA Copyrighted Mario D. Garrett 2013