Don’t Retire Your Dental Care

By Chie Li Ee DMD and Gina Pratta, Cape May Dental Associates 
Even though daily routines relax with retirement, it is crucial to stay regimented with dental care. Regular dental visits and good oral hygiene habits are even more important for older adults because of changes in health and side effects of medications. Common dental concerns for older adults include dry mouth, missing teeth, oral cancer and gum disease. With careful attention to symptoms and regular dental visits, these problems can be helped or prevented.
A common side effect of many medications older adults need is dry mouth. Dry mouth can make tasting, chewing, swallowing or speaking difficult and if left untreated, it can cause tooth decay, denture sores and bad breath. Dry mouth is the most common cause of cavities in older adults because of lack of saliva. In some cases, medications can be switched to others that have less of an effect on saliva output. If switching medications is not an option, you can strengthen teeth and fight tooth decay by using fluoridated rinses and toothpastes. Drinking plenty of water and using over-the-counter oral moisturizers can limit dry mouth discomfort, and dietary changes, like limiting caffeine, alcohol, soda and acidic fruit juices, can help prevent decreased saliva production.
Many older adults must choose a replacement for missing teeth. Missing teeth and ill-fitting dentures prevent people from eating nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts and lean meats, therefore it’s crucial to a person’s health to replace missing teeth. Dental implants offer a much more stable, natural-looking and comfortable replacement.
More than 40,000 people are affected by oral cancer every year at the average age of 62, according to the ADA. During regular dental cleanings and exams, the dentist and hygienist perform a visual exam for any signs of oral cancer. Tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, overexposure to the sun and individuals 40 years of age or older increases the risk of developing oral cancer. If you have any of these risk factors, be sure to schedule regular dental visits.
The importance of oral health can be easily forgotten after retirement, but stay on schedule with regular dental visits and homecare and you will enjoy your golden years with a healthy smile. Cape May Dental Associates is welcoming new patients. Call (609) 884-5335, follow us on Facebook or visit capemaydental.com.