Dental care for the elderly is an issue that needs attention. Elderly people are often susceptible to diseases that affect their teeth, but many elderly people do not care about this issue.

Some elderly people even have the misconception that when they get old, their teeth must fall out and that is normal. Due to misconceptions and psychological factors such as reluctance to go to the dentist or fear of dental treatment procedures, the dental diseases experienced by the elderly are often more serious than those of young people. 

In addition, the elderly are often susceptible to systemic diseases that affect the oral area, and oral lesions have direct or indirect impacts on nutritional status, communication, and health. resistance and quality of life in general.

Oral lesions in the elderly

• Tooth damage includes:  wear and tear on the chewing surface, atrophied pulp, poor tooth nutrition, low cell density, brittle teeth that are easily chipped and broken; increased cementum formation at tooth roots; susceptible to tooth decay; Gum recession, reduced salivation, reduced chewing ability... Tooth wear in the elderly has many causes such as age accumulation, improper tooth brushing, brushing with too much force, eating too hard food, Drink lots of carbonated soft drinks.
• Dry mouth:  Elderly people often suffer from dry mouth. It may be due to the effects of some drugs to treat systemic diseases or due to radiation therapy in the head, face, and neck areas. 

Dry mouth makes it easy to get a number of dental diseases such as tooth decay, gingivitis, bacterial infections, fungal infections in the mouth, and can cause pain, difficulty eating, and difficulty swallowing. Many studies show that in healthy elderly people, total saliva flow does not decrease compared to before. But many elderly people still suffer from dry mouth. The cause is due to systemic diseases, drug use and radiotherapy causing dry mouth.

• Damage to the oral mucosa:  if oral hygiene is not careful, it often leads to thinning of the oral mucosa, loss of elasticity, and susceptibility to injury and infection. Systemic diseases and the use of certain medications can cause damage to the oral mucosa in the form of blisters, ulcers, lichen, infections and cancer. Therefore, it is necessary to have regular examinations to detect and treat oral mucosa diseases early in the elderly.
• Oral motor and sensory dysfunction:  Elderly people are susceptible to swallowing reflex and oral motor dysfunction. Many elderly people suffer from anorexia, loss of appetite, and impaired taste.

Many studies show that in the elderly, the sense of smell is less affected, but the sense of taste gradually decreases with age. Due to the inability to feel taste, weakening of oral motor muscles, and reduced salivation are factors that cause the elderly to lose appetite, malnourish and become weak.

How to protect long-term oral health

1. Nutrition

For the elderly, fresh vegetables and fruits are a source of vitamins for the body in general, and for teeth and gums in particular. The best time to eat fresh fruit is one hour before the main meal. You should only eat cakes at meals. After each meal, rinse your mouth and brush your teeth immediately. Do not let food stay on your teeth and gums, creating conditions for bacteria in the mouth to ferment and create destructive acids. Tooth enamel leads to tooth decay.

Elderly people need to eat and drink enough nutrients such as: protein found in meat, eggs, shrimp, crab, milk, beans...; fruits to supplement vitamins and mineral salts to help keep teeth healthy. Elderly people need to drink enough water and not eat foods that are too hard, too hot or too cold.    

Have a reasonably balanced diet, do not use too much processed foods, foods rich in carbohydrates and easily fermented. Controlling your diet and good oral hygiene will reduce the risk of common dental diseases in the elderly.

2. Oral hygiene

For good oral health, brushing your teeth after eating and before going to bed is very important. If you are wearing a removable denture, you should remove it when sleeping and soak the denture in water or antiseptic solution. 

Eliminating dental plaque is considered an effective method of prevention. Some elderly people have receding gums that reveal the surface of the tooth roots with many complex shapes such as concave, hollow, slits, and areas dividing the tooth roots, so special care is needed to maintain oral hygiene.

3. Regular dental check-ups

As we age, the issue of oral health care and protection becomes more and more of a priority. Elderly people should have a thorough dental treatment plan before turning 60 years old. 

Cavities should be filled, if teeth are lost, new dentures should be replanted. Because the older you get, the worse your health becomes and the more difficult it is to walk, so thorough dental treatment is necessary at this stage. Elderly people should also have their teeth checked periodically every 3-6 months to detect dental diseases early, especially gum disease in the elderly that can lead to oral mucosa cancer.