Those persons who take a proactive approach to their dental health are aware of the importance of looking after their teeth. This means that they rarely miss a step in their at-home oral care, they eat a tooth-friendly diet, avoid using their teeth for any other purpose than eating food, and make sure to attend their scheduled health check-ups at the dentist.
It is only through this approach, that one takes – observing all the recommended guidelines to caring for teeth at home – that they are able to keep their full set of natural teeth for life.
These persons know all too well that by observing these obligations, they avoid many of the undesirable effects of losing natural teeth such as challenges in eating and speaking and losing the ability to smile with confidence. These challenges are well accommodated by modern teeth replacement devices like dental implants Windsor.
Relationship between missing teeth and overall health in the elderly
It is quite common for much of the elderly population to have lost some of their adult teeth by the time they are 65 years or older; hence this age group is at a high risk of becoming malnourished. In fact, Age UK has found that 1 in 10 individuals over the age of 65 suffers from malnutrition.
There are a few factors that contribute to this public health crisis and not having the required number of teeth to properly bite and chew food or having poor-fitting dentures that make eating a challenge are some of them.
The elderly, who have not replaced lost adult teeth with suitable missing teeth replacement devices, will find themselves avoiding certain types of foods because it becomes quite the challenge to eat with gaps in the dental arch. This opens up the risk of malnourishment which is detrimental to their overall physical health.
A body that is devoid of all the essential vitamins and minerals will often have a poor immune system that makes it vulnerable to infections and other medical problems. Because of the compromised immune system, such individuals are found to have frequent hospital admissions and longer healing and recovery periods.
Like with other age groups, poor oral health in the elderly also makes them susceptible to bad bacteria, present in the mouth, making their way into the bloodstream. Those with cardiovascular problems are most at risk of these bad bacteria aggravating potential symptoms.
Poor oral health can give rise to mental and psychosocial health issues too. The elderly may find that without a missing teeth replacement device, to give them the pleasing smile a full set of teeth would give them, they are too embarrassed to engage with others and enjoy social activities like dining out. Some may embrace life in isolation but, as social beings, this would eventually be detrimental to their mental and emotional health. Depression and loneliness are serious consequences.
Every individual, no matter their age, who has lost teeth should make it a priority to seek advice from an experienced dental practitioner and consider an appropriate missing teeth replacement device.