Oral Health in an Aging Population: Emerging Challenges for Geriatric Dentistry
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.68041/johdt.v1i1/01Keywords:
Oral Health, Geriatric Dentistry, Xerostomia, Periodontal Diseases, Tooth LossAbstract
Dental care systems all over the globe are changing as the population is getting older. Retention of natural teeth is greater for older people than for previous generations; however, they are also experiencing an increasing burden of decayed teeth at the root, periodontal disease, problems with oral mucous membranes and dry mouth, and are more likely to have polypharmacy and multimorbidity. This is further complicated by frailty, cognitive impairment, and functional dependence. Oral health is now being associated with systemic impacts such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition, and quality of life. However, dental care is still not well linked to medical and long-term care, and very few dental practitioners have formal geriatric training. In this editorial, the primary challenges identified in geriatric dentistry include oral changes due to medications, periodontal-systemic interactions, tooth loss, access to care, and shortage of dental professionals. It outlines future research such as the use of non-invasive methods, teledentistry, interprofessional collaboration, and prevention policy change.
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