How are Americans doing when it comes to the dental health of the 65+ population?
The Good News:
The rate of tooth decay in the elderly has decreased in the past thirty years.1
The Bad News:
25% of persons age 65+ have no remaining teeth2
Nearly 20% have untreated tooth decay3
10% of adults 65 and over have moderate to severe periodontal disease.
There is evidence to suggest that advanced gum disease is linked to diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and respiratory disease
Most older Americans don’t have dental insurance
Clearly, there is room for improvement. What critical conditions will improve the oral health of age 65+ Americans? The National Institutes of Health cite three necessary components:
- Improved oral health education for the elderly
- Seniors practicing effective daily oral hygiene
- Increased access to dental care1
At La Costa Dental Excellence in Carlsbad, we are dedicated to providing our elderly patients with comprehensive oral health education and attentive care that addresses the special challenges that impact seniors. These challenges include difficulty brushing and flossing due to arthritis, dry mouth caused by prescription medications, tooth sensitivity, bone recession, and complications due to diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
We want our elderly patients to not only have a healthy smile but a beautiful one as well. Many of our senior patients have elected to improve their smiles with services such as crowns, inlays/onlays, dental bonding, porcelain veneers, dental implants, and tooth whitening. The majority of our smile redesign patients are thrilled with their new smile and report that it has improved their life immensely. They feel happier, more attractive, and more confident in social settings.
The committed to excellence team at La Costa Dental Excellence on Carlsbad provides the full spectrum of general and cosmetic dental services for Carlsbad area patients of all ages including Invisalign, implant-supported dentures, and porcelain veneers.
1“Periodontal Disease in Seniors (Age 65 and Over),” National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/DataStatistics/FindDataByTopic/GumDisease/PeriodontaldiseaseSeniors65over.htm, accessed on November 24, 2015
2“Oral Health for Older Americans,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/publications/factsheets/adult_oral_health/adult_older.htm, accessed on November 24, 2015
3“Dental Caries and Tooth Loss in Adults in the United States, 2011–2012,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db197.htm, accessed on November 24, 2015
Contact La Costa Dental Excellence:
760-633-3033
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
7730 Rancho Santa Fe Rd Ste 106
Carlsbad, California
92009