At every stage of life it is important to keep your teeth in good shape, just as you exercise to keep your body in shape. It is especially important that you pay more attention to your oral care as you age for a number of reasons, including the obvious effects of wear and tear over time.
Taking care of your teeth requires consistent and proper oral health practices at every stage of life.
It’s a common observation that older people generally have yellow teeth. This yellowing is not usually from staining or a lack of brushing. The core of our teeth is actually yellow in color.1 As we age, the enamel, or the semi-translucent hard white outer coating on our teeth, wears away so the yellow core (dentin) of our teeth begins to show through the worn enamel.
Heredity can play a role in this as some people are born with naturally brighter or thicker tooth enamel and some are born with a thin layer of enamel which can reveal the naturally yellow dentin underneath.2
To keep teeth enamel as white as possible, older people need to pay attention to how well their body produces saliva, which is the natural way for your body to wash away food debris from your teeth and keep your tooth enamel from eroding because of bacteria (plaque).
There are over 400 medications that can cause dry mouth.3 Many of these medications are often taken by older people, including high blood pressure medications, diuretics (water pills), pain medications, and urinary incontinence drugs. It is important that if you are experiencing dry mouth, you talk with your physician or dentist.
Medication changes can fix dry mouth conditions and so can prescription medications and over-the-counter products.4
As you age you also tend to have more dental fillings and crowns. Teeth with fillings or crowns are more vulnerable to decay. A crown is essentially a cap that is placed over a tooth to restore its shape, size, and strength. Crowns generally last between five and 15 years.5
While crowns cover your tooth, the gum line is where problems can occur. You should brush your teeth at least twice a day, paying special attention to the area where the gum meets the tooth. Flossing daily and rinsing with an antibacterial mouthwash is also recommended to keep crowns, and your gums and other natural teeth, clean.
Traditional Medicare plans do not include dental care coverage. The majority of Medicare Advantage plans available in 2022 did provide dental coverage.6 While many Medicare Advantage plans have started offering dental coverage the coverage is limited and network restrictions exist and there are still many seniors who don’t have dental health insurance coverage.
In 2017, the National Health Interview Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that slightly less than one-third (29%) of adults aged 65 and over had dental insurance.7 This factor also contributes to higher rates of dental issues with seniors.
Seniors generally live on fixed incomes and tend not to visit a dentist regularly for check-ups, which can detect gum disease, dental decay, oral cancer, mouth infections and tooth loss. These issues are prevalent at higher rates in seniors. That’s why it is important for seniors to visit a dentist regularly to prevent issues from escalating, and becoming more costly to treat.
While it has always been touted that seniors are set in their ways and like routine, it should be noted that as you age paying more attention to your oral health and taking better care of your teeth, makes sense…and seniors are also known as a sensible group of people!
If you have questions or concerns about your teeth and dental health, call our Commerce Twp dental office to schedule a Free consultation. Our dental services cover all bases in dentistry including restorative treatments such as dental implants and dentures as well as cosmetic dentistry such as braces and veneers to fix cracks and straighten your teeth. Call today!
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1 Tooth Discoloration, 9/8/202
Link: https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/tooth-discoloration
2 Why Do Teeth Turn Yellow? by Alina Bradford, 7/10/2018
Link: https://www.livescience.com/54420-yellow-teeth.html
3 10 Medications That Cause Dry Mouth by Amy McGorry
Link: https://www.healthgrades.com/right-care/oral-health/10-medications-that-cause-dry-mouth
4 Dry Mouth
Link: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dry-mouth/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20356052
5 Dental Crowns, 10/31/2021
Link: https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/dental-crowns
6 Medicare Advantage 2022 Spotlight: First Look by Meredith Freed, Anthony Damico and Tricia Neuman, 11/2/2021
Link: https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/medicare-advantage-2022-spotlight-first-look/
7Dental Care Among Adults Aged 65 and Over, 2017 by Ellen A. Kramarow, PhD
Link: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db337.htm