Elderly seniors have a host of issues to deal with, including the fact that they can’t brush their teeth like they used to, or floss due to arthritis or dementia, or whatever their health care concern is.  That lack of good oral hygiene combined with many who take a host of medications that cause dry mouth creates an epidemic of caries, and particularly root caries.

When the cavity starts destroying the root of the tooth next to the bone, it becomes a heroic endeavor to try to save or restore the tooth.  It also becomes quite expensive when you have to replace crowns or have to resort to root canals or implants.  Gum disease, lack of care, bone loss, and the inability to clean down the infected areas also make seniors more prone to tooth loss. Seniors are usually on a fixed budget which makes it hard to pay for the needed care. In addition, many seniors have diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and are prone to pulmonary infections such as pneumonia, and heart issues. The infection in the gums can complicate and worsen their entire health condition.

Keeping the mouth free of infection and healthy is one of the keys to preserving the oral health of this category of patients.  In addition, the best way to prevent root caries is with fluoride and the best time to apply the new varnishes we have is right after the dental cleaning.  It typically isn’t covered by insurance, but it can be so effective.  The prescription toothpaste we provide our patients, such as ClinPro 5000 and Prevident, allow the person to apply the fluoride at home on a daily basis, helping to prevent root cavities.  We also love the Carifree products, such as the treatment rinse and maintenance rinse, to bring the pH of the mouth back up out of the acid zone and kill some of these unhealthy bacteria.

Additionally, if the patient would avoid sucking on lozenges and drinking acidic beverages and such they can prevent a lot of these problems on their own.  Many of our elderly patients (including my own mother) benefit by coming in every three months for a cleaning to help debride the mouth of the unhealthy biofilm that causes dental problems.

In short, we have found that preventative in-office care can help seniors avoid losing their teeth and impact their ability to chew effectively. Also, many seniors go downhill after losing teeth. Preventative care can also be a lot cheaper in the long run, thus saving them a lot of money.

If you are a senior or know someone in your family who could benefit from a preventative care approach to dentistry, please give us a call at 360-256-1202.  We can do a lot to help keep your mouth healthy and avoid the epidemic of root caries and periodontal disease that we are seeing. At Two Rivers Dentistry, our dedicated dentist, Dr. Vaughn Teuscher and his team are happy to serve our senior patients in Vancouver, Washington.

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The analogy reminded me of our mouths. As we age, our roots get exposed and are more prone to decay. Dr. Tom Orent has shared one of his “gems” to many of us dentists that I can relate to and I’d like to share it with you.

“Recent research has helped us to uncover one of the most devastating adult dental problems. The problem is known as “root cavities.” All adults are susceptible to root cavities.

One of the most respected dental researchers in the world says that once you get a cavity on your root surface, it’s like the beginning of the end of your tooth. Sure, we’ll try to fix it, but even after we think we’ve removed all the cavity or decay, it often creeps up again right under the filling or crown, and we have to cut it out further and further up under the gum near the bone.

The problem is, your roots are 1000% softer than your enamel! As an adult, you tend to have some recession of the gums — that’s when your gum drifts higher up the tooth and exposes some of your roots. Often early recession is so small it’s not immediately apparent and unfortunately, recession doesn’t have to be visible to put your tooth at risk!

The best prevention for root cavities is fluoride, and the best and most reliable fluoride delivery is immediately after your cleaning — due to the natural film layer (plaque) the body coats your teeth with within 24 hours after your cleaning. Again, the best time for fluoride is at the end of your cleaning as this natural film layer, a sticky substance, decreases the ability of the fluoride to penetrate into and protect your teeth.

In fact, we recently had a patient only 40 years old who lost a tooth due to this disease. The fact is that we had effective fluoride for many years, but they were so incredibly acidic and bitter-tasting that most adults refused to use them, myself included! The old fluoride took from five to seven minutes in your mouth and was pretty close to intolerable.

We are fortunate today to have fast-acting, high-strength fluorides that are extremely effective, but also taste great and require only 60 seconds to apply. I wouldn’t allow my family or myself ever again to have a cleaning without immediately afterward having the fluoride treatment as well.

Insurance doesn’t cover fluoride for adults but it’s like having your own insurance policy to help ensure you can keep your natural teeth for life. The charge is less than a third of one surface filling and we have several flavors to choose from.”

In summary, adults can benefit from topical fluoride treatment just as much as children. Fluoride treatments are an important part of keeping your teeth healthy and they help repair teeth in the very early stages of the disease. Existing restorations, poor oral hygiene or diet, or tooth enamel damage can all increase the risk for cavities. Soda and sports drinks also have a high acid content that can damage teeth.

The best way to prevent these risks as well as the biggest risk of all — root cavities — is a topical fluoride varnish application immediately following your dental cleaning. One of the many prescription-strength 5000 toothpaste at-home fluoride daily regimens is another great way to prevent this most unfortunate problem. If you have any questions about topical fluoride prevention treatment, ask your dentist or hygienist.

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