Dental Information For Seniors

Q. Why do teeth seem to darken as people age?
A. Teeth are harder than bone but they are porous. Every strawberry, blueberry, coffee, tea, wine and anything that will stain a white t-shirt that you have ingested has slowly stained your teeth. Teeth in Seniors appears darker because the teeth have had more time to stain.

Q. Why do some seniors lose their sense of taste?
A. Certain diseases, medications, and dentures contribute to a decreased sense of taste.

Q. Should seniors be worried about cavities?
A. Absolutely. Seniors are more susceptible to cavities, especially root decay.

Q. What is root decay?
A. When there is gum tissue recession the root surface is exposed. Plaque accumulates along the gum line. With the recession the plaque is accumulation on the root surface of the tooth. The bacteria are releasing acid and destroying the root structure. The root is a lot softer then then the top of the tooth. Thus, root decay happens very quickly and can be devastating.

Q. What makes seniors more cavity-prone?
A. Seniors are more prone to root decay and gum recession. Furthermore, many seniors have “dry mouth”. The dry mouth comes about because 1) medications are causing the dry mouth 2) as one gets older the saliva changes from a liquid to a more mucus secretion. Lastly, many senior have decreased manual dexterity and have difficulty brushing their teeth.

About:

Dr. Michael Nugent is a family dentist that takes cares of infants, teen, adults and senior citizens. Dr. Nugent performs daily Senior Citizen Dentistry. Dr. Nugent has been voted BEST PASADENA TEXAS DENTIST multiple times. Experience award winning dental care for you and your family.