For excellent overall health, maintaining excellent dental health right from childhood to adulthood and beyond is vital. Maintaining a proper dental care routine at home, together with regular visits to your dentist, will go a long way to protect your teeth and gums. However, as we age, changes occur in all our body’s organs, cells, and tissues, including our teeth and gums.

This is the impact aging has on health:

• Renewal of cells happens at a slower rate
• Your tissues become less elastic and thinner
• Immunity gets weaker, and infections are more frequent and take more time to heal

Such changes affect the tissue in the mouth, leading to oral health problems, including gum issues. In this article, we will look at the gum issues that happen as we age and ways to keep our gums in optimal health.

The frequency of dental problems, like gum diseases, rises with age, especially in people over 60 years. Pay a visit to the best dental hospital in Hyderabad to evaluate your risk for gum disease.

Common gum issues seen in old age

Take a look at some of the common gum diseases that can affect the old members in your homes:

• Receding gums: 

This is the most common dental issue seen in aged people. It happens because the gum tissue pulls away from the teeth, exposing the tooth’s base or root.

• Periodontal disease: 

In this condition, there is an inflammation and infection of the gums, causing symptoms like pain while chewing, soreness, or bleeding.

• Gingivitis: 

It is caused by the accumulation of plaque, tartar, and bacteria and is the earliest stage of periodontitis. 

Conditions That Put The Elderly At Risk For Gum Disease 

Let us discover the common factors that can put you at risk for gun issues during old age:

• Dysregulation of hormones: 

During menopause, women experience hormonal imbalances, making them vulnerable to desquamative gingivitis, a painful gum disease

• Poor nutrition: 

With old age, appetite reduces and intake of nutrition decreases, causing vitamin C and other deficiencies, leaving you prone to bleeding gums and other gum diseases

• Underlying health conditions: 

Those suffering from conditions like diabetes, heart disease, or rheumatoid arthritis that hinder the body’s inflammatory responses are also vulnerable to gum disease

• Substance abuse: 

Habits like chewing tobacco and alcohol consumption increase the risks of gum diseases like periodontal diseases

• Dry mouth: 

Lesser saliva production or dry mouth is also a cause of gum disease. The elderly are more at risk for dry mouth due to the effects of medicines like those used to lower high blood pressure or high cholesterol that reduce the amount of saliva in the mouth. 

Follow These Steps To Keep Your Gums Healthy In Old Age

Taking the right steps to protect your gums, even if you are over 50, can bring positive changes in your gum health.

1.Brush and floss every single day

Keeping your gums healthy is crucial to prevent gum problems. Sleeping without brushing your teeth overnight can lead to gum recession in the long run. Make brushing and flossing a daily practice to remove the food particles, plaque, and bacteria that build up during the day.

2.Go for deep cleaning

Deep cleaning can halt the progression of gum disease before it becomes more severe and moves to the later stages. Go to a reputed dental care hospital for deep cleaning if you notice receding gums and exposed tooth roots. The dentist will remove bacteria, tartar, and toxins that have built up in the areas where your gums have receded. 

3.Avoid bad habits

Unhealthy habits like smoking lead to gum disease because of the irritants and toxins they contain. Avoiding such habits can be a significant step towards better gum health, as they can lead to conditions like receding gum.

4.Bring more balance to your diet 

An unbalanced diet lacking in essential nutrition is a strong factor leading to gum disease. Vitamins B12, C, and A are key nutrients essential for the optimal health of gums. Periodontitis is caused by a deficiency in vitamin B12. Consuming a healthy diet enriched with these vitamins can lead to an improvement in gum health and prevent such gum issues.

5.Cut down on sweets and sweetened beverages

Consuming sugary foods and beverages in excess can contribute to gum disease development. The bacteria that feed on the sugar lodged in your mouth are harmful to the gums. Sugar in liquid form, such as sodas and juices, can penetrate into the openings and crevices of your mouth. Bacteria can reside in these hard-to-reach areas after you consume these drinks, making it difficult to clean even if you brush and floss twice a day, causing gum diseases like gingivitis. 

Conclusion

It does not matter if you have reached old age. It is never too late to incorporate new dental practices that can lead to better gum health. 

On noticing early signs of gum disease, don’t hesitate to visit a dental care hospital to assess your oral health and get expert advice and solutions.

At Gnathos, our dental experts are well-versed in identifying and treating gum issues like periodontitis. We will help alleviate your symptoms and stop the progression of gum disease with expert dental care tips and tailored solutions.