The oral health of a person contributes significantly to the well being of their teeth. A person that has loose, missing, oral discomforts may indicate that he or she is suffering from personal distress. On the contrary, a person that has good dental health will help him or her to have social ease and confidence. Teeth problems such as cavities and gum disease can be prevented and it is possible for one to keep all their teeth for their whole lives. Most of us have little dental problem therefore we need to use dental services. When selecting a dental service, we must select intelligently with careful evaluation of such services.
As we grow older, our body will go through normal changes such as skin dryness, skin discoloration, graying and thinning of hair as well as changes that make our teeth, bones, and mouth surfaces more susceptible to disease. Many elderly people are seldom lack of the physical ability to take care of their teeth which in turn causes them to be more susceptible to dental disease. Malnutrition in diet is one of the factor for gum disease and tooth decay. If a person seldom goes to the dentist for regular checkup, he or she will also be more susceptible to dental problem.
By the time a person reaches 65 years old, most seniors will have already lost most of their teeth. As we grow older, many of our body tissue shriveled up and waste away due to lack of nourishment. Resilience is lost and the person will have less ability to replace cells and repair tissues. The supporting jaws of senior age people are subject to constant wear and tear because aging make them have lesser ability to withstand these stresses. Thus, gum disease and bone loss are common in older person. Low grade gum infections which are easily tolerated by young people will eventually shrink the bone supporting the teeth.
Old people’s kidneys are less efficient, thus the oral tissues will become dehydrated. Aging is also the primary contribution of a progressive thinning of the mucous lining of the mouth. All these conditions will help make the oral tissues of an older person more vulnerable to dental injury and sores will develop in their mouth more easily.
Many older people often have improper diet that is lack of nutrition. This affects the tissues which are already tear down by aging. A crack at the corner of the mouth is caused by vitamin B deficiencies, abnormal taste and burning tongue. Lack of vitamin A will cause the mucous lining to wear off easily by rubbing. Vitamin C deficiencies will cause the older person to have slower wound healing, especially after a tooth extraction. Lack of calcium will cause bone loss.
As we age, we experience hormonal changes that accompany the change of life. These hormones affect the teeth directly. Many older person that is coping with emotional problem and undergoing stress will also be less tolerant to dental procedures and appliances.
An older person is more susceptible to dental problem because of a number of factors including an aging body, less resilient tissues, poor nutrition in diet, decreased cellular metabolism, hormonal changes and personal stress. Being conscious of all these factors is necessary to have a healthy mouth and reduce potential dental problems.
Nutrition is an essential in order to prevent dental problems and maintain a good dental health. Lesser sugar consumption will decrease the amount of acid that is produced by bacteria, and consequently lesser problem of cavities and gum disease. Other nutrients such as protein and vitamins are also important to maintain the health of the gum and bones and the tissues throughout the body. Gum problems can be reduced by taking vitamin B complex, vitamin C and protein.
Soft foods should be avoided because they tend to stick to the gum in the mouth and build up debris while fibrous foods help to clean away the debris. As a conclusion, a proper diet that has all the nutrition is important to maintain all aspects of a good health.