The population of seniors is growing worldwide, particularly in Canada, where they are projected to be 25% of the total population by 2030. Further, non-communicable diseases are increasingly becoming the primary cause of mortality and disability. In the coming years, the dental professionals across Canada will confront tremendous challenges brought about by the evolving burden of these diseases. Most oral and chronic illnesses have common risk factors. In Canada, poor oral health among the aged population has been associated with dental caries, tooth loss, periodontal disease, and oral cancer. The adverse effects of poor oral conditions on seniors' quality of life are a critical public health concern. Some of the common dental challenges that seniors experience include but are not limited to the following.

Tooth Loss
Tooth loss is commonplace among the aged populace globally despite advanced dental health programs. The main reasons for increased tooth extraction are severe periodontal and dental caries diseases. Another risk factor is tobacco use, especially among persons with a high level of consumption over an extended period. In Ottawa and other Canadian dental facilities, teeth extraction is due to discomfort, oral pain, and lack of proper dental treatment.

Oral Lesions
Denture stomatitis, prevalent among denture wearers, is marked by lesions and inflammation of the mucosal areas. The disease is of clinical significance in aging populations, and its prevalence correlates with poor hygiene and the quantity of dental plaque. Other related conditions include traumatic ulcer and denture hyperplasia. Denture hyperplasia is typical in persons with un-retentive and ill-fitting dentures. In addition, alcohol and tobacco use and irregular dental visits are risk factors linked with the heightened prevalence of denture-related lesions among older adults.

Dental Caries
Coronal and root surface caries are highly prevalent among the aged population in Canada. The trend is associated with infrequent dental visits, low income, poor dental hygiene, high sugar consumption, and smoking. Lamentably, these tendencies align with aging, a phase marked by low income, inadequate access to care, dependency, and substance use.

Periodontal Disease
The percentage of the elderly with deep, oral pockets in teeth ranges between 5% and 70%. The severity and high prevalence rates of periodontal disease correlate with the volume of dental plaque and poor oral health. It is also compounded by infrequent dental visits in Ottawa. Tooth loss and smoking impact the disease progression among the said population in Canada.

Dry Mouth
Dry mouth is a prevalent complaint among the elderly, and it is reported in about 30% of the people aged above 65 years. People suffering from mouth dryness tend to report severe dental carries and chewing difficulties. Subjective mouth dryness and compromised unstimulated salivary flow are closely linked to seniors. Drug-induced oral dryness is also prevalent among seniors because of the high intake of medication associated with salivary dysfunction. Drugs responsible for oral dryness include antipsychotics, antidepressants, antihistamines, and beta-blockers. As such, complaints related to mouth dryness are common among patients receiving treatment for high blood pressure, urinary or psychiatric problems.

Oral Cancer
Oral cancer is associated with age and mainly occurs in the age group above sixty years. The prevalence of lichen planus and leukoplakia is relatively low, although they are more common among seniors. Untamed tobacco use is a major risk factor for oral cancer and malignant lesions, even though alcohol consumption is also a great determinant.

Oral Health
Recently research has revealed the effect of oral health on general health and quality of life. The experience of endurance of dental abscesses, pain, chewing and eating difficulties, and the humiliation related to teeth discolouration and shape impacts people's wellbeing, self-esteem, and daily living adversely. Links in oral health and general health are more pronounced among seniors. Poor oral health can exacerbate the risk to overall health by affecting one's nutritional intake due to compromised chewing or breaking down of food in the mouth. At the same time, adverse side effects or systemic disease associated with treatments can result in increased vulnerability to oral disease, compromised sense of smell, and dry mouth.

Clinical Intervention
For the senior, fluoride use is effective in preventing most oral diseases. Topical application of fluoride followed by mouth rinsing will reduce caries and the number of lesions. The use of a chlorhexidine solution is advocated to reduce pocket depth, gingival inflammation, and incidence of stomatitis.

To best understand the condition of a senior’s oral health, we recommended scheduling an appointment with us at the Upper Hunt Club Dental Centre in Ottawa. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.