AN older person said, in one of my lectures, “Doktora, the only problem we seniors really have is lack of money!” According to the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, one of the reasons Filipino senior citizens do not meet their daily protein requirement is dental problems.
There is an old saying about the eyes being windows to the soul, but the latest medical and dental researches show that the mouth truly is a window into one’s overall health. Senior dental problems can be as common as dry mouth or such severe cases as periodontal disease. People suffering from severe periodontal disease may double the risk of fatal heart disease. Tooth infection has the potential to cause bacterial endocarditis. This is an inflammation of the heart valves and tissues due to bacterial infestation.
People in their old age are at higher risk for malnutrition. One of the reasons for such is ill-fitting dentures. Bad dentures can be a culprit in poor nutrition among older persons. Older persons lose their natural teeth when their jaw bones start to shrink due to aging. The jaw bones continue to “remodel” itself leading to improper fitting of dentures.
Many times, older persons complain that their dentures no longer fit them well; it starts to become “slippery” so they start limiting the kind of food that they eat. Chewing becomes an ordeal. Add to that the embarrassment of not being able to munch meat and hard food during parties or festive occasions.
Another social issue affects dental care. Senior parents are hesitant to ask money from their children for their dental health. They endure the difficulty and the discomfort of not having the proper dentures and eventually they become malnourished. It is advisable that older persons look into their dental health as well as they take good care of their physical health. Sometimes, oral problems are sources of metabolic problems.
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With Babit Dacal-Welsh, DMD