How do your teeth change as you age?

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If not cared for well, the older you are, the more your teeth are at risk of aging, causing conditions such as periodontitis, dry mouth, tooth wear, pulp atrophy,... and health of the elderly.

1. How does your mouth change as you age?

The nature of teeth is very strong, but over time, after a long process of use, teeth can be aged and damaged. With age, the characteristics of the oral cavity change, the risk of oral aging increases. Common dental recessions are: chewing surface wear, pulp atrophy, brittle teeth, dehydrated dentin, receding gums, reduced salivation, reduced chewing function, tooth loss...
If hygienic If the teeth are not good, the elderly are still at risk of new or recurrent cavities in the crowns and roots of the teeth. Along with that, as the body ages, the immune system declines, the elderly often suffer from many diseases. The use of some therapeutic drugs can cause damage to the oral cavity such as mouth ulcers, lichen, infections,... The aging of the teeth creates favorable conditions for pathogens to penetrate and develop, not only cause disease. In the oral cavity, these pathogens can also penetrate the respiratory organs, cause blood infections, ... threatening the health of the elderly.

2. What to do to take good care of oral health in the elderly?

2.1. Prevention of periodontal disease

Periodontal is the supporting tissue around the teeth, which has the function of supporting and protecting the teeth, helping to keep the teeth in the bone. Periodontal disease is a very common oral disease in the elderly. The main cause of periodontal disease is poor oral hygiene, which allows bacteria to accumulate in the plaque around the teeth, forming tartar. A lot of tartar, a large amount of bacteria accumulates will cause gingivitis, inflammation of the ligaments around the teeth, alveolar bone loss,...
Common symptoms of periodontal disease when the body is aging is bleeding gums when brushing teeth , red swollen gums that bleed easily, loose teeth, bad breath, teeth move gradually and spread out... Periodontal disease is one of the common causes of tooth loss in the elderly, greatly affecting eating. drink, live. To prevent periodontal disease, elderly people need to take good care of their teeth. Brush your teeth at least twice a day in conjunction with flossing. Visit your dentist periodically to remove tartar and plaque that the toothbrush cannot reach. Quit bad habits like smoking.

2.2. Prevent dry mouth disease

Saliva plays a very important role, helping to clean teeth and protect teeth from decay. With age, the aging body, the weakened metabolic and immune systems, along with the elderly people taking many drugs cause a high risk of dry mouth. When having dry mouth, the elderly will have an increased risk of mouth ulcers, tooth decay, cracked lips, fungal infections in the mouth, eating difficulties leading to the risk of malnutrition.
To prevent the risk of dry mouth, the elderly need to drink a lot of water, increase the intake of fruits with a lot of water, liquid foods such as porridge, soup, ... Elderly people can also suck on sugar-free candy or chew sugar-free gum. If the elderly suspect that medications are the cause of dry mouth, talk to your doctor to change the medication accordingly.

2.3. Take good care of sensitive teeth

With age, enamel wear, gingivitis, and tooth decay can make elderly teeth more sensitive. When teeth are sensitive, elderly people may experience pain and numbness when using hot and cold foods or drinks or when brushing too hard.
Good oral care is the best way to prevent sensitive teeth. Brush teeth at least twice daily. Choose a toothbrush with soft bristles, which helps clean teeth gently, without too much impact on teeth. Change the brush regularly, about 2-3 months or sooner if the brush shows signs of lint. Use dental floss to remove plaque, leftover food in between teeth that the brush cannot reach. If the elderly have sensitive teeth, the dentist will recommend specialized toothpastes and treatments to make the elderly more comfortable.

2.4. Limit foods that are harmful to teeth

Elderly people have a high risk of dental diseases if they regularly use foods that are harmful to their teeth, such as:
Sweets: the amount of sugar in the crumbs remains in the corners of the mouth, creating conditions for the elderly. bacteria growth, increasing the risk of tooth decay. Elderly people should minimize the consumption of sweets or prolonged lozenges. Foods and fruits with a sour taste: Fresh fruits contain a rich source of vitamin C, which helps strengthen the immune system. However, the amount of acid in fruit can erode tooth enamel, making teeth sensitive and more susceptible to decay. Besides, using fruit juice is even more harmful to teeth because most juices are concentrated, so they contain a higher amount of acid than regular fruit. In addition, fermented foods such as pickled tomatoes, kimchi are also high in acid, which not only affects tooth enamel but can affect other parts of the digestive tract. Carbonated water: Due to its large amount of sugar and acid, carbonated drinks cause corrosion and damage to tooth enamel. Besides, carbonated drinks also increase the risk of dry mouth and staining of teeth. Alcoholic beverages: alcoholic beverages reduce the amount of saliva in the mouth, putting the risk of dry mouth. Hard foods: Hard foods can damage tooth enamel, chip, and even cause tooth breakage. Hard foods can put pressure on the joint system and masticatory muscles, and repeated repetition can cause masticatory disorders such as TMJ.

To reduce the risk of dental disease in the elderly, it is necessary to practice good eating habits for teeth such as limiting snacks between main meals, drinking plenty of water, cleaning teeth after eating. If there are signs of oral diseases that affect health as well as quality of life, patients should soon go to specialized medical facilities for examination and treatment.
Vinmec International General Hospital is the address for examination, treatment and prevention of diseases, including the specialty of Dentistry - Jaw - Face. When performing the examination process at Vinmec, customers will be welcomed and used modern facilities and equipment along with perfect medical services under the guidance and advice of experts. Good doctors, well-trained both at home and abroad.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Reference source: webmd.com