With Older Americans Month winding down, we would be remiss if we didn’t share some oral health tips and dental visit considerations for older patients. We recently sat down with Dr. Brandon Arnow, DMD, and owner of Aspen Dental in Mesa, Arizona, to answer some commonly asked questions about maintaining good oral health later in life.

How important is oral care as I get older?

Very important! I have the pleasure of treating a large number of older patients at my practice and it is both exciting and encouraging to see more and more patients experiencing a high quality of overall health as they age. We know that oral health is an important part of our overall health ‘system’, so routine dental care continues to be important as we age. Keeping your mouth healthy and having the ability to chew properly and comfortably and eat a variety of foods is important to maintaining good health throughout life.

What information does my dentist need to know?

It’s important to update your dentist on any changes in your overall health – especially keeping your dentist informed about all the medications you take. Why? The answer is that some medications can cause oral health issues, like dry mouth, and we need to check that any newly prescribed medication or treatments do not have unintended effects when they interact with medications that you currently use.

What is dry mouth and how can it be treated?

A number of my older patients are experiencing dry mouth, which affects millions of Americans. In fact, according to the American Dental Association (ADA), at least 25 million Americans have inadequate salivary flow (or don’t produce enough saliva), and lack the cleansing and protective functions provided by saliva. Patients with dry mouth will feel as if they do not have enough moisture in their mouth. They may also have trouble chewing, swallowing, tasting or speaking, a burning feeling, or cracked lips.

Since saliva plays an important part in helping to rinse away and neutralize bacteria, dry mouth may increase your chances for developing dental decay and other infections in the mouth. It is important to take extra precautions to keep your teeth healthy if you have dry mouth. According to the National Institute of Health’s National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, make sure you visit your dentist for a check-up at least twice a year.

When is the best time to schedule my dental appointment?

I like to see my older patients when they are well rested, after they have eaten a meal and have taken their daily medications – this is typically mid-morning. I find this is the ideal time for patients to relax and get routine services completed. Some patients are not comfortable sitting for long periods of time, so I typically try to work quickly and prefer to schedule multiple, shorter appointments vs. longer appointment for older patients.

Sponsored by the Administration on Aging (AOA) under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Older Americans Month is a tradition supporting and showing commitment to honoring the value that elders commit to communities nationwide. This year, the AOA is encouraging Americans to “Unleash the Power of Age” and recognize individuals who are achieving remarkable things later in life and remain active, vital members of the community.

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