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De n t i s t ry
Oral Healthcare
Often Neglected in Older Adults
As many as 60 percent of older adults do
not receive regular dental-care services
because they lack dental insurance or face
other barriers to care. A major reason for
this, experts say, is that most people lose
employer-based healthcare when they
retire, and programs such as Medicare and
Medicaid rarely include dental coverage.
Limited access to oral healthcare places these
individuals at increased risk for a host of
oral-health problems that affect their overall
well-being. “We often see the direct effects of poor oral
healthcare, such as dental caries, gum disease,
dry mouth, pain or even oral cancer, but we
then forget about equally important issues
related to quality of life,” says UCLA geriatric-
medicine specialist Patricia Harris, MD.
“As people start to lose their teeth, chewing
and swallowing may negatively impact their
nutrition, and cosmetic issues may lower their
self-esteem and reduce social interactions.”
Poor oral healthcare is also associated
with increased risk of respiratory disease,
cardiovascular disease and diabetes, as well
as inappropriate use of hospital emergency
departments, according to an Institute of
Medicine report. Although experts are not
exactly sure why poor oral healthcare is linked
to other serious health problems, the potential
spread of infection from the tooth or gums
to the jaw to the heart and other organs is
considered a key suspect.
“Unexplained fever, pain in the tooth or jaw
and dry mouth should not be ignored because
they may be symptoms of tooth infections
that may become serious and spread if left
undiagnosed and untreated,” Dr. Harris
explains. “That’s when older patients end
up in the emergency room.”
Nearly one-third of older adults have
untreated tooth decay that may lead to pain,
dental abscess or more serious infections, such
as bacteremia. According to Diana Messadi,
DDS, DMSc, a specialist in geriatric dentistry
and oral medicine in the UCLA School of
Dentistry, many of these problems spiral
out of control because elderly patients and
their caregivers are inadequately trained
in proper oral hygiene.
“One of the big issues in elderly patients is
that many are taking medications that cause
dry mouth, which is associated with higher
rates of yeast infections and dental caries,”
she explains. “These types of infections are
UCLAHEALTH.ORG 1-800-UCLA-MD1 (1-800-825-2631)
more common among denture wearers and
often develop when people don’t clean the
dentures properly.” Dr. Messadi recommends
that patients brush their natural teeth twice
a day with a soft toothbrush and clean their
dentures once a day with a denture brush, and
that dentures should not be worn at night. She
also recommends that patients rinse with
non-alcoholic mouthwash to avoid dryness
caused by alcohol, and she calls for better
training of caregivers who work in nursing
and assisted-living facilities.
“Many of our elderly live in long-term-care
institutions and must depend on others for
their daily hygiene, yet the nursing staff in
those facilities often receive little or no training
in providing appropriate oral healthcare,”
Dr. Messadi explains. “We need to do a
better job at promoting oral health for older
Americans, regardless of where they live.”
De n t i s t ry
Oral Healthcare
Often Neglected in Older Adults
As many as 60 percent of older adults do Poor oral healthcare is also associated more common among denture wearers and
not receive regular dental-care services with increased risk of respiratory disease, often develop when people don’t clean the
because they lack dental insurance or face cardiovascular disease and diabetes, as well dentures properly.” Dr. Messadi recommends
other barriers to care. A major reason for as inappropriate use of hospital emergency that patients brush their natural teeth twice
this, experts say, is that most people lose departments, according to an Institute of a day with a soft toothbrush and clean their
employer-based healthcare when they Medicine report. Although experts are not dentures once a day with a denture brush, and
retire, and programs such as Medicare and exactly sure why poor oral healthcare is linked that dentures should not be worn at night. She
Medicaid rarely include dental coverage. to other serious health problems, the potential also recommends that patients rinse with
Limited access to oral healthcare places these spread of infection from the tooth or gums non-alcoholic mouthwash to avoid dryness
individuals at increased risk for a host of to the jaw to the heart and other organs is caused by alcohol, and she calls for better
oral-health problems that affect their overall considered a key suspect. training of caregivers who work in nursing
well-being. and assisted-living facilities.
“Unexplained fever, pain in the tooth or jaw
“We often see the direct effects of poor oral and dry mouth should not be ignored because “Many of our elderly live in long-term-care
healthcare, such as dental caries, gum disease, they may be symptoms of tooth infections institutions and must depend on others for
dry mouth, pain or even oral cancer, but we that may become serious and spread if left their daily hygiene, yet the nursing staff in
then forget about equally important issues undiagnosed and untreated,” Dr. Harris those facilities often receive little or no training
related to quality of life,” says UCLA geriatric- explains. “That’s when older patients end in providing appropriate oral healthcare,”
medicine specialist Patricia Harris, MD. up in the emergency room.” Dr. Messadi explains. “We need to do a
“As people start to lose their teeth, chewing better job at promoting oral health for older
Nearly one-third of older adults have
and swallowing may negatively impact their Americans, regardless of where they live.”
untreated tooth decay that may lead to pain,
nutrition, and cosmetic issues may lower their
dental abscess or more serious infections, such
self-esteem and reduce social interactions.”
as bacteremia. According to Diana Messadi,
DDS, DMSc, a specialist in geriatric dentistry
and oral medicine in the UCLA School of
Dentistry, many of these problems spiral
out of control because elderly patients and
their caregivers are inadequately trained
in proper oral hygiene.
“One of the big issues in elderly patients is
that many are taking medications that cause
dry mouth, which is associated with higher
rates of yeast infections and dental caries,”
she explains. “These types of infections are
UCLAHEALTH.ORG 1-800-UCLA-MD1 (1-800-825-2631)
De n t i s t ry
Oral Healthcare
Often Neglected in Older Adults
As many as 60 percent of older adults do
not receive regular dental-care services
because they lack dental insurance or face
other barriers to care. A major reason for
this, experts say, is that most people lose
employer-based healthcare when they
retire, and programs such as Medicare and
Medicaid rarely include dental coverage.
Limited access to oral healthcare places these
individuals at increased risk for a host of
oral-health problems that affect their overall
well-being. “We often see the direct effects of poor oral
healthcare, such as dental caries, gum disease,
dry mouth, pain or even oral cancer, but we
then forget about equally important issues
related to quality of life,” says UCLA geriatric-
medicine specialist Patricia Harris, MD.
“As people start to lose their teeth, chewing
and swallowing may negatively impact their
nutrition, and cosmetic issues may lower their
self-esteem and reduce social interactions.”
Poor oral healthcare is also associated
with increased risk of respiratory disease,
cardiovascular disease and diabetes, as well
as inappropriate use of hospital emergency
departments, according to an Institute of
Medicine report. Although experts are not
exactly sure why poor oral healthcare is linked
to other serious health problems, the potential
spread of infection from the tooth or gums
to the jaw to the heart and other organs is
considered a key suspect.
“Unexplained fever, pain in the tooth or jaw
and dry mouth should not be ignored because
they may be symptoms of tooth infections
that may become serious and spread if left
undiagnosed and untreated,” Dr. Harris
explains. “That’s when older patients end
up in the emergency room.”
Nearly one-third of older adults have
untreated tooth decay that may lead to pain,
dental abscess or more serious infections, such
as bacteremia. According to Diana Messadi,
DDS, DMSc, a specialist in geriatric dentistry
and oral medicine in the UCLA School of
Dentistry, many of these problems spiral
out of control because elderly patients and
their caregivers are inadequately trained
in proper oral hygiene.
“One of the big issues in elderly patients is
that many are taking medications that cause
dry mouth, which is associated with higher
rates of yeast infections and dental caries,”
she explains. “These types of infections are
UCLAHEALTH.ORG 1-800-UCLA-MD1 (1-800-825-2631)
more common among denture wearers and
often develop when people don’t clean the
dentures properly.” Dr. Messadi recommends
that patients brush their natural teeth twice
a day with a soft toothbrush and clean their
dentures once a day with a denture brush, and
that dentures should not be worn at night. She
also recommends that patients rinse with
non-alcoholic mouthwash to avoid dryness
caused by alcohol, and she calls for better
training of caregivers who work in nursing
and assisted-living facilities.
“Many of our elderly live in long-term-care
institutions and must depend on others for
their daily hygiene, yet the nursing staff in
those facilities often receive little or no training
in providing appropriate oral healthcare,”
Dr. Messadi explains. “We need to do a
better job at promoting oral health for older
Americans, regardless of where they live.”