Dental Care In Later Life In Burton On Trent
Regular professional dental care for older patients.
Few people would argue that there isn’t a need for professional dental care. Even those who take excellent care of their teeth at home may need some dental work to restore their teeth; if not through decay, then through accidental damage.
There can be a temptation amongst some older patients though, to feel that their teeth have already reached a point where there is little that a dentist can do for them. Whilst this may have been true at some point in the past, it is certainly no longer the case.
General oral health care
Even if you are older and feel that your teeth are in a poor condition, all may not be lost. One important issue, sometimes ignored by patients of our Burton family dental practice, is the danger of gum disease, especially in our later years. The risk of gum disease is likely to increase as we get older and suffer more frequently from a dry mouth. This is a problem not only because of potentially sore and bleeding gums, but also social issues like bad breath. Advanced gum disease, or periodontitis, can lead to a thinning of the bone in our jaw which holds our teeth in place. Once this has become compromised, tooth loss is an increased possibility.
Cosmetic dentistry for older patients
If we accept that general dental care is still important as we get older, is there really a role for cosmetic dentistry for older patients? At Mike Allen’s Dental Practice, we would argue that there certainly is. There are cosmetic improvements which can be made to teeth that have been filled using amalgam filling, leaving an unsightly smile. These can now be replaced with white fillings that are produced to match the natural colour of your teeth.
You may feel that your yellow tinged teeth are a result of your diet or habits and that nothing can be done about them. The likelihood though, is that the yellowing of your teeth has occurred simply because of the ageing process but the positive news is that a professional whitening treatment will very likely be able to restore the whiteness of your teeth.
Dental implants
One of the biggest advances in cosmetic dentistry which offers most benefits to older patients are dental implants. Too many older people simply put up with dentures that are uncomfortable and perhaps ill fitting when there are better options available. Whilst we appreciate that dental implants can involve a significant investment (payment plans are available to help) older dental implant patients of our Burton practice have told us that is is money well spent and that their life has been enhanced as a result of the treatment.
Eating food becomes much easier and a wider range of foods, even “sticky” and hard, becomes accessible again. Dental implants are also firmly embedded in the jawbone and should remain stable and secure many years, offering both an effective and convenient method of replacing missing teeth.
If you are an older patient and would like to see what we can do to help you, please call Mike Allen’s Dental Practice on 01283 845345.