{"id":14083,"date":"2023-07-25T10:50:51","date_gmt":"2023-07-25T14:50:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/manoirgouin.com\/how-can-taking-care-of-your-oral-health-help-you-age-well\/"},"modified":"2023-07-25T10:51:17","modified_gmt":"2023-07-25T14:51:17","slug":"how-can-taking-care-of-your-oral-health-help-you-age-well","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/manoirgouin.com\/en\/how-can-taking-care-of-your-oral-health-help-you-age-well\/","title":{"rendered":"How can taking care of your oral health help you age well?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Keeping a bright smile for a long time, or how taking care of your oral health helps you age well<\/h2>\n\n

It’s a fact: we’re living longer and longer. Medicine has come a long way, and we’re managing to stay healthy for much longer than ever before. However, there is one area that is still somewhat on the bangs, particularly among the elderly<\/strong>: oral and dental health. \n oral and dental health<\/a>\n<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n

While it’s logical to want to keep a dazzling smile for as long as possible, it’s all too easy to forget just how much of an impact<\/strong> oral problems can have on overall health<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n

\"oral<\/figure>\n\n

So what are the specific problems faced by older people who are concerned about the health of their teeth, and how can they be prevented?<\/h2>\n\n

As we age, we often develop varying degrees of tooth sensitivity<\/strong>. Sometimes it’s hot or cold food that triggers pain (temperature sensitivity), sometimes it’s just contact (touch sensitivity). This may be a sign of decay<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n

Saliva production also declines with age. Saliva has a bactericidal action (it destroys bacteria). When we produce less saliva, we increase the risk of dental<\/strong> and gum<\/strong> disease<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n

Another problem that comes with time is tooth loosening<\/strong>. The roots of the teeth become visible, increasing the risk of oral infection and decay.<\/p>\n\n

Finally, teeth change their appearance. They will darken and yellow. This change may be natural, but will be accentuated by smoking, or the ingestion of certain foods or beverages (tea, coffee…). Plaque<\/strong> formation is more rapid in older people.<\/p>\n\n

\"toothache,<\/figure>\n\n

Oral health is important in the prevention of other health problems<\/h2>\n\n

Poor oral health is a risk factor<\/strong>, leading to numerous complications.<\/p>\n\n

The risk of pneumopathy<\/strong>(respiratory infections<\/a>) will increase as quickly as oral health declines. When we lose teeth, chewing is less efficient, which increases the risk of a false start, and thus of inhalation pneumonitis (when food passes through the respiratory tract and infects the lung parenchyma).<\/em> In addition, dental or gum disease can lead to a proliferation of germs in the mouth, which can infect the lungs.<\/p>\n\n

Diabetics, too, are at greater risk of infection than others. Mouth infections are no exception, especially periodontitis(gum infections that can also affect the jawbone<\/em>). These will lead to chewing pain and tooth loss. What’s more, in diabetics, infections (including oral ones) unbalance and aggravate diabetes<\/strong>. This vicious circle further increases the risk of infection.<\/p>\n\n

Dental infections and gum disease are cardiovascular risk factors<\/strong>. An infection in the mouth is a “gateway” to endocarditis (infection of heart tissue, often serious), and increases the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke.<\/p>\n\n

In the event of a wound or injury in the mouth, Streptococcus Mutans<\/em> present in the saliva can pass into the bloodstream, weakening blood vessels (stroke).<\/p>\n\n

Dry mouth, on the other hand, increases the risk of infection and other oral problems<\/strong>. This inconvenience, due to a lack of saliva, can be caused by various factors:<\/p>\n\n