Senior Dental Care: An Essential Component of Healthy Aging

Senior dental care is instrumental for healthy aging.  Good dental hygiene is important for your oral and overall health. Strong, healthy teeth aid in sustaining your good nutrition. Good oral health reduces harmful inflammation that can affect other parts of your body.  Fortunately, the same good oral health habits you have adopted throughout your life are the basics underlying senior oral health:  brushing for two minutes twice daily, flossing daily, and visiting your dentist on Commercial Blvd. for your dental cleaning and exam twice yearly. 

How is My Oral Health Linked to My Overall Health?

As the saying goes, a healthy mouth is the gateway to a healthy body. To enjoy optimal wellness throughout your life, start by taking the best care of your smile. Neglecting your oral health can be detrimental to your overall health. While the exact mechanisms underlying these apparent relationships is still being explored, there are numerous serious health conditions that have been linked to poor oral health:

• Heart Disease:  According the a publication by the Mayo Clinic : 
  • "Gum disease (periodontitis) is associated with an increased risk of developing heart disease.
  • Poor dental health increases the risk of a bacterial infection in the blood stream, which can affect the heart valves. Oral health may be particularly important if you have artificial heart valves.
  • Tooth loss patterns are connected to coronary artery disease.
  • There is a strong connection between diabetes and cardiovascular disease and evidence that people with diabetes benefit from periodontal treatment."
• Diabetes: The relationship between diabetes and your oral health is cyclical. When blood sugar is not properly controlled, high blood sugar levels can lead to oral health problems such as gum disease, or periodontal disease.  As with all infections in diabetics,  gum disease may cause blood sugar to rise making your diabetes harder to control.
• Pneumonia:  If the levels of harmful bacteria in the mouth are high due to lack of oral hygiene,  seniors are more at risk for breathing that bacteria into their lungs causing pneumonia. Good oral hygiene helps reduce the risk of this serious, often fatal, illness.
• Root Decay:  As we age, it is common for our gums to recede exposing root surfaces.   Your tooth roots are much thinner and more vulnerable to decay than the crown of the tooth that is protected by hard, protective enamel.
• Gum Disease:  The risk of gum disease increases with age as the gradual buildup of bacteria in the mouth increases. Gum disease causes chronic inflammation of the gums, connective tissue, and bone supporting your teeth, but also has been shown to be linked to inflammation in other parts of the body.  Current research suggests that the bacteria that causes gum disease can also cause inflammation of the heart and other organs. 

"Gum disease is the most common

chronic inflammatory condition

in the world"

Is Cosmetic Dentistry Important for Seniors?

Dr. Nancy Rotroff and Dr. Gerard Wasselle at Excellence in Dentistry in Fort Lauderdale are committed to bringing the best dental care for our senior patients.  In addition to partnering with our patients for a healthy smile, our dentists help restore and rejuvenate smiles and restore confidence with cosmetic dentistry.  Missing teeth, broken teeth, or stained teeth can cause you to be self-concious and hesitant to smile or socialize.  When our seniors are comfortable to share a smile, converse, and laugh, their entire demeanor and outlook improve.   Improving your smile with cosmetic dentistry is not an unimportant or vain consideration. As we age, it is even more essential that we move through life with confidence and self-assurance. Select the best cosmetic dentist Fort Lauderdale has to offer - Excellence in Dentistry! 

Has it been more than six months since your last dental cleaning and exam? Going to the dentist after COVID is very safe as we have health checks, sterlization procedures and patient separation protocols in place.  Do you have things you would like to change about your smile?  Find the best senior dental care providers by calling Excellence in Dentistry at 954-928-1666. Call our office to get back on track for your best oral health.  Our office is conveniently located at 2480 E. Commercial Blvd.

Nancy Rotroff, DDS, MAGD and Gerard Wasselle, DMD practice general dentistry, restorative dentistry and cosmetic dentistry. We can help with:

• Dental Cleanings
• Crowns and Bridges
• Dentures (Traditional as well as Implant Supported Dentures)
• Tooth Extractions
• Emergency Dental Dare 
• Composite Fillings 
• Implants 
• Cosmetic Dentistry (Veneers, Dental Bonding, Tooth Whitening)