Health: Reasons to Smile about Dental Care

According to the CDC’s web page on “Older Adult Oral Health” about one in five seniors have poor dental health. However, advances in implants, digital dentistry and laser care can keep seniors smiling.

According to the CDC”s report, a lot of older adults have some catching up to do about their dental health: 

• Untreated tooth decay, affects one in five adults age 65 and over.
• Gum disease strikes two out of three seniors
• Almost one in five have lost all their teeth.

The Truth about Teeth

Maintaining oral health isn’t just about appearances. Previous research has linked poor dental health with dementia.  A new study indicates that older adults with the worst gum disease had a faster rate of shrinkage of the hippocampus, which plays a major role in learning and memory.

Now for the good news: it doesn’t have to be this way. Dental advances have made maintaining oral health, and keeping your teeth, easier than ever (although yes, often more expensive than we’d wish).

Here are some of the developments worth smiling about. None are brand new, but all seem to be improving with age.

Better Implants

Dental implants were a serendipitous accident, discovered by a Swedish orthopedic surgeon studying how blood flow affects bone healing in rabbits. He found that titanium fuses with bone, and the metal makes an ideal anchor for artificial teeth. It was the birth of dental implants, now used for over 30 years.

It’s a multistep process, with first bone grafting if needed, replacing the tooth roots with metal, screw-like posts, then covering the implant with a crown or prothesis.

Dental implants have improved, lasting longer with fewer complications; it’s an advance that has truly changed patients’ lives, says Alan Boghosian, DDS, a clinical associate professor of otolaryngology—head and neck surgery at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, who practiced dentistry for 40 years.

“Now we can replace that missing tooth or teeth with a prosthetic attached to an implant, no bridges needed,” says Boghosian, who is also a spokesperson for the American Dental Association.

What about those “teeth in a day” commercials, where you’re promised a whole mouthful of new teeth? It’s important to know that it can’t all happen immediately, Boghosian says. The one-day session is the beginning of the process,.  Then time is needed to allow the implants and bones to bond to form anchors for the new teeth before you return for the remaining steps, he says.  (See the step-by-step here.)The American Academy of Implant Dentistry offers many more facts here.)

Laser Gum Surgery

If gum disease has destroyed some of the bone supporting your teeth, periodontal surgery can help. Gum tissue is folded back and bacteria removed so bone and tissue can regenerate. Now, laser-assisted surgery promises less pain than with the conventional surgery and the same regeneration.

Does it deliver? While evidence is still accumulating, this review found it regenerates gum tissue around both natural teeth and implants with less bleeding than conventional surgery.

The approach is growing in popularity. One, LANAP (laser assisted new attachment procedure) was cleared by the FDA in 2004.  (New attachment refers to attaching gum tissue back to bone in the jaw and mouth, a good thing.) Another, Biolase, got clearance  in 2020 for treating early stage  periodontal disease.

In LANAP, a laser fiber the width of 3 human hairs targets diseased tissue but leaves the healthy. Procedures vary, but typically it’s done in two sittings of about two hours each, according to the company. Note for socialites: no brushing or flossing for 7-10 days post-surgery to promote healing; mouthwash is OK.

Digital Dentistry

More dentists are using cone-beam computed tomography, in which 3D images help plan implants, visualize abnormal teeth, detect cavities and other issues.

Intraoral scanners can take digital impressions, and you don’t need to sit with a mouthful of goo. They can’t be used 100% of the time, Boghosian says. If the camera can’t see what it’s looking for, it’s back to the goo.

Can’t afford the dental care you need? Check out this explainer with a list of free or low cost resources and alternatives.  

Better–and Better Looking–Crowns

Today, the majority of crowns are made with zirconia, Boghosian says. “They are metal-free, tooth colored and strong.” No more black line at the gumline, so prettier, too.

Whiter Smiles

With new implants and crowns, you want to flash that new smile—and make it whiter. While whitening options abound, the American Dental Association cautions to consult with your dentist first—and to realize, sadly, that only natural teeth (not crowns or implants) respond to whiteners. Resist the urge, it adds, to suck on lemons, scrub with charcoal or swish coconut oil (oil pulling) to brighten the teeth. Keep those products in the kitchen or barbecue-ready.

YOUR TURN

have you tried any of these newer dental procedures?  How did it work for you? Share your story in the comments!

Kathleen Doheny is a Los Angeles-based independent journalist, specializing in health, behavior, fitness and lifestyle stories. Besides writing for Senior Planet, she reports for WebMD, Medscape, MedCentral and other sites.  She is a mom, mother-in-law and proud and happy Mimi who likes to hike, jog and shop.

Doheny photo: Shaun Newton

This article offered by Senior Planet and Older Adults Technology Services is for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding any medical condition. If you think you may have a medical emergency call 911 immediately.