Throughout our lives, caring for our dental health becomes a delicate and crucial issue. Despite the fact that we implement the most common hygiene habits, they are often not enough to avoid oral problems and infections.
Victor Cambra
Medical Director of Cambra Clinic, specialized in digital dentistry and dental aesthetics
As we age it is common for dental health to suffer. The number of adults over the age of 50 who go to clinics to solve oral problems and improve their dental aesthetics has grown exponentially in recent years to perform interventions such as teeth alignment or space correction.
It is important to remember that frequent dental visits are essential to prevent dental problems and maintain good oral health. These are the most common dental problems among adults and how to combat them.
Caries
Cavities, far from being just common for children, are one of the main dental problems for adults. According to data from 2022 from the World Health OrganizationIt is estimated that this disease affects 2.5 billion people.
The appearance of cavities is more common in the elderly due to the xerostomia (dry mouth) presented by all those people who take more than 3 medications. Saliva is our main self-defense against the bacteria that cause cavities, when there is a deficit these bacteria proliferate.
We recommend avoiding excess foods that consume carbohydrates such as soft drinks, refined starches such as French fries or foods with a high content of citric acid.
Halitosis
The generation of halitosis, commonly known as bad breath, is one of the problems that most worry adult patients.
Halitosis of dental origin is solved in 100% of cases since it is caused by the accumulation of food remains that reside between the teeth and generate malodorous gases.
Halitosis of stomach origin is produced by the accumulation of gastric juices in the stomach and is very common in long periods of fasting. To these infections are added other types of conditions in the nose or throat that can lead to bacteria that generate a bad seat, such as nasal inflammation.
One tip to avoid this problem is to drink plenty of water. Saliva helps with cleaning the mouth because it eliminates the particles that cause bad odor, which is why it is common to have bad morning breath due to dry mouth.
tooth loss
One of the main dental problems in adulthood is tooth loss. According to the data of the Oral Health Survey in Spain, the average number of teeth lost among people between the ages of 65 and 74 is eleven teeth. A problem that is beginning to affect an increasingly younger average age.
The main problem of tooth loss is periodontal disease, followed by very deep cavities and dental fractures. When a cavity grows, it can cause the destruction of dental tissues and if it is not stopped, it can lead to tooth loss.
The best advice to avoid tooth loss is to maintain a cavity-free mouth, with the healthy gums and the use of a night protector for those adults with bruxism or clenching.
periodontal diseases
Among the most common problems for which patients over 50 go to the dentist we find gingivitis and periodontitis. These two diseases are produced in the mouth by the accumulation of food debris and bacterial plaque at the tooth-gum junction, commonly known as tartar.
Periodontal disease in most cases has a genetic component. If this inflammation of the gums gets out of control, it can progress to the point of losing the bone.
To avoid this, it is essential to maintain a very low bacterial plaque index with frequent review by professionals and the use of dental floss or interproximal toothbrushes.