Dental Concerns for the Elderly

On a weekly basis, I am confronted with a difficult decision to make. Well, ultimately it’s my patient’s decision. But since they put their trust in me, I give them an honest assessment regarding the overall condition of their mouth and both of us must reach and agree upon an appropriate treatment plan. On the average, our country’s elderly are keeping their teeth longer than previous generations. And their children, the Baby-Boomers, will be living longer and retaining even more teeth than their parents. This is a result of increased awareness, improved dental hygiene/technology/techniques and a shift in treatment philosophy in the dental profession itself.

These are all good things. However, the longer patients keep their teeth the more susceptible those teeth are to inevitable changes that occur with time. Our prehistoric ancestors only had to keep their teeth strong and healthy for about 35 or so years. We, with our antibiotics and our Lipitor and our prosthetic joints etc., can live a long fulfilling life well into our 70’s, 80’s and beyond. Where does that leave our teeth? Our teeth are not indestructible nor are they impermeable to acidity and erosion. Not to mention the normal wear and tear we put them through on a daily AND nightly basis. In other words, we are out living our teeth. As Morgan Freeman’s character said in “The Shawshank Redemption” “Geology is the study of pressure and time. That’s all it takes really…pressure and time”. Not unlike geology, dentistry is affected by pressure and time. The longer we live the more abuse we put our teeth through.

Fortunately, with the advent of Fluoride and similar advancements, many people can enjoy a mouth full of healthy teeth their whole lives. But for millions of elderly patients in their 80’s and 90’s their oral environment makes it easy for cavities, erosion (and gum disease) to progress and ultimately render most of the teeth unsalvageable. The main reason that teeth deteriorate with old age is tooth decay. Old age (as well as SEVERAL medications) can cause saliva decrease which leads to dry mouth which leads to increased acidity which leads to tooth decay which leads to infection. You get the idea. Tooth decay in a patient with dry mouth can, at times, be unmanageable due to the speed of progression. This, combined with the fact that the patient’s ability to brush and floss has declined, leads to an abysmal prognosis in many cases.

                                                           

Since I am a restorative dentist and take pride in saving and maintaining the natural tooth, I don’t take it lightly when a patient needs to have their tooth or teeth removed. I only recommend an extraction when it is determined that keeping the tooth or teeth would cause more harm than good. It is a difficult decision for all parties involved; the dentist, the patient and the patient’s spouse, son, daughter, etc. Fortunately, we can replace teeth with implants and prosthetics. Even though nothing is better than having a natural dentition, we do our best to mimic nature. With the advances in dental implantology and oral prosthetics, we can help people get their smile back regardless of age. Please check out our website, steelvalleysmiles.com, for ways we can help you or a loved one . Thanks for reading, Dr. Joe, Steel Valley Smiles, Munhall, PA.

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