The team at Salt Lake Dental Care – Clint Blackwood DDS wants to discuss how are Americans doing when it comes to the dental health of the 65+ population.
The Good News:
The rate of decay in the elderly has decreased in the past thirty years.1
The Bad News:
- 25% of persons age 65+ have no remaining teeth2
- Nearly 20% have untreated decay3
- 10% of adults 65 and over have moderate to severe periodontal disease.
- Advanced gum disease is linked to diabetes, heart disease, stroke and respiratory disease
Clearly, there is room for improvement. What important factors will improve the oral health of age 65+ Americans? The National Institutes of Health cite three needed components:
- Improved oral health education for the elderly
- Seniors practicing effective daily oral hygiene
- Increased access to dental care1
At Salt Lake Dental Care – Clint Blackwood DDS, we are committed to providing our elderly patients with comprehensive oral health education and attentive care that addresses the special challenges that influence seniors. These challenges include difficulty brushing and flossing due to arthritis, dry mouth caused by prescription medications, tooth sensitivity, bone recession, and complications due to diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
We want our elderly patients to not only have a healthy smile, but a beautiful one as well. Many of our senior patients have elected to improve their smiles with services such as crowns, inlays/onlays, dental bonding, porcelain veneers, dental implants, and tooth whitening. The majority of our cosmetic dental smile makeover patients are thrilled with their new smile and report that it has improved their life immensely. They feel happier, more attractive, and more confident in social settings.
At Salt Lake Dental Care – Clint Blackwood DDS, we offer sedation dentistry, Invisalign braces, and Six Month Smiles, as well as general and cosmetic dentistry. Call today for an appointment.
Contact Salt Lake Dental Care – Clint Blackwood DDS:
801-938-8855
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
279 E 5900 S Ste 202
Murray, Utah
84107
1“Periodontal Disease in Seniors (Age 65 and Over),” National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/DataStatistics/FindDataByTopic/GumDisease/PeriodontaldiseaseSeniors65over.htm, accessed on November 24, 2015
2“Oral Health for Older Americans,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/publications/factsheets/adult_oral_health/adult_older.htm, accessed on November 24, 2015
3“Dental Caries and Tooth Loss in Adults in the United States, 2011–2012,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db197.htm, accessed on November 24, 2015
