Leila Seniors

Smiles for a Lifetime
Leila Liberman, RDH, BS, MDE

Clinical Instructor, Department of Periodontics
University of Maryland, School of Dentistry
Mark E. Brennan, DDS, MS
Assistant Professor, Department of Prosthodontics
University of Maryland, School of Dentistry
Borrowed and edited from Dr. J. Yellowitz
Purpose of Todays Presentation:

Caring for your TEETH and GUMS.
Why see a Dentist and Hygienist YEARLY ?
Answer YOUR Questions/concerns.
Provide useful tips and information.
Why We Lose Teeth

Disease - often because of
POOR ORAL HYGIENE
Reason Daily Care

Becomes Less
Effective:
No Pain or Discomfort
Less Attention
Dexterity
Vision Loss
Diet
What is Periodontitis?
What is Periodontitis?
Why Should I Care?

The mouth is connected to the rest of the body
The health of your mouth is now believed to

have a significant effect on your overall health!
Examples:
Aspiratory Pneumonia
Cardiovascular Disease
Diabetes
Kidney Failure
What Can I Do?

Brush your teeth Twice a Day,
Make sure ALL surfaces are clean
This takes longer than you think.
Use an Electric Toothbrush

Use toothpaste with fluoride
Use a anti-cavity mouthrinse (ACT,
fluorigard)
What about Dentures?

ill-fitting dentures was the second most
common complaint of older adult dental
patients!
They DO NOT last a lifetime!!!!
Teeth or No Teeth, you still need to see the
dentist every SIX months! Or at least
ONCE EVERY YEAR ! ! ! !
Denture Care
Proper Hygiene Includes:
Rinse/Clean dentures after each meal.
Thoroughly brush the dentures once a day. (use
denture brush, not toothbrush)
Remove the denture every night, to prevent

accidents (swallowing) and fungal infections.
Soak appliance overnight in denture cleaner .
Other Common Conditions:
Mouth Cancer
Mouth Cancer is MOST common in older
adults. (like most cancers)
Tobacco users and heavy alcohol users are at a
increased risk!
Most oral cancers are treatable, if detected early.
Everyone, whether with teeth or no-teeth,

NEEDS to see a dentist yearly!
Images Borrowed from: http://www.goodsmiling.com/Online%20dental%20%20clinic/onlinedentalservices/oralcancer.html
Mouth Cancer
Often starts as a tiny white or red spot
Mouth sore that doesnt heal (> ~2 weeks)
A lump, crusty or rough spot in the mouth
May cause problems with chewing,
swallowing, or moving the jaws or tongue.
If you have any of these, see a dentist

immediately.
Tooth Hypersensitivity
If teeth are sensitive to liquids, temperatures,
or sweets, see your dentist.
Solutions:
Try de-sensitizing toothpastes (Sensodyne, Colgate
Sensitive)
Try a softer bristled toothbrush
Use a FLUORIDE containing mouth-rinse
Dry Mouth
The perception of a dry mouth is called
Xerostomia!
Xerostomia is NOT a normal part of aging!
Dry Mouth can

Make it hard to eat, swallow, taste, and speak
Can result in poor denture retention.
Can add risk of tooth decay
Dry Mouth Continued

Causes:
Multiple Medications
Head & Neck radiation therapy
Possible Solutions:
Alter medications
Sip water often
Reduce alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco intake
Suck sugar-free hard candy
Use artificial saliva products
Todays Review
Visit a Dentist Every .. Months!
With Teeth: Brush 2x / day

Wear Dentures: Brush denture 1x /day and soak
overnight
Report any Changes to your Dentist or Dental

Hygienist!
Resources
Dont Believe Me
Check it out for yourself!
1. Xiaojing Li, Kristin M.et al. ,. Systemic Disease Caused by Oral Infection. Clinical Microbiology Reviews. Vol.
13, No. 4 (2000). Pgs 547 558.
http://cmr.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/13/4/547
2.. Beltrn-Aguilar, ED, et. al. Surveillance for Dental Caries, Dental Sealants, Tooth Retention,
Edentulism, and Enamel Fluorosis --- United States, 1988--1994 and 19992002. CDC-MMWR
Surveillance Studies. Vol 54, No. 3 (2005). Pgs 1-44.
3. Christensen, GJ. The Inevitable Maladies of the Mature Dentition. JADA Observations. Vol 131 (2000). Pgs
803-804.
4. Slavkin, HC. Maturity and Oral Health: Live Longer and Better. JADA Observations. Vol 131 (2000). Pgs
805-808.
5. Ettinger, RL. The Future of Dental Care for the Elderly Population. 1999 Journal of the California Dental
Association. 1999.
http://www.cda.org/member/pubs/journal/jour999/future.html
6.. Narhi. T.O Prevalence of Subjective Feelings of Dry Mouth in the Elderly. Journal of Dental Research. Vol.
73, No. 1 (1994). Pgs 20-25.
http://jdr.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/73/1/20
7. Douglass, Chester. Future Needs for Fixed and Removable Partial Dentures in the United States. The
Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Vol 87, No 1 (2002). Pgs 10-14.
Questions???
If you have any,
Id love to hear them!

Leila Seniors

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Leila Seniors

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Smiles for a Lifetime

Leila Liberman, RDH, BS, MDE

Borrowed and edited from Dr. J. Yellowitz

Purpose of Todays Presentation:

Provide useful tips and information.

Why We Lose Teeth

POOR ORAL HYGIENE

Reason Daily Care

Why Should I Care?

The health of your mouth is now believed to

What Can I Do?

Use an Electric Toothbrush

What about Dentures?

Remove the denture every night, to prevent

Other Common Conditions:

Everyone, whether with teeth or no-teeth,

If you have any of these, see a dentist

Dry Mouth can

Dry Mouth Continued

With Teeth: Brush 2x / day

Report any Changes to your Dentist or Dental

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