Aches, pains, unexpected physical problems…these can all be signs of aging. It’s not for the faint of heart! But did you know that the aging process can also affect our oral health? We don’t want to add to your list of aging concerns, but we do want to make you aware of what you can do to help prevent and alleviate age-related oral health issues. To do this, we have summarized an American Dental Association (ADA) online article, “Aging and Dental Health.” This article explains the main oral health conditions that can result with aging, and what you can do to combat them.
Dry Mouth (Xerostomia):
Dry mouth is caused by reduced or dysfunctional saliva production. It affects 30% of patients older than 65-years-old and up to 40% of patients older than 80. It can lead to mucositis (the painful inflammation, swelling, and ulceration of mucous membranes), cavities, cracked lips, and a fissured tongue. This is primarily the effect of medications, and mostly impacts those who take more than 4 daily prescription medications. In addition, it can be caused by conditions like diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, or Parkinsons. It is recommended that individuals with dry mouth drink or at least sip water throughout the day, and that they limit alcohol and drinks high in sugar or caffeine, such as juices, sodas, teas, or coffee. We at Boulevard Dental have also found dry mouth sprays and gels to be effective for many patients.
Cavities (Caries):
Older adults are also at an increased risk for root caries because of both increased gingival (gum) recession that exposes root surfaces, and an increased use of medications that cause dry mouth. Approximately 50% of people older than 75 years of age have root caries affecting at least one tooth. Good oral hygiene is recommended to help combat this. This would include electric toothbrushes. At our office, we like to recommend Sonicare or Oral B electric toothbrushes. The ADA article also recommends the use of topical fluoride (i.e., daily mouth rinses, high fluoride toothpaste, and regular fluoride varnish applications), as well as careful attention to dietary intake. In addition, in-office applications of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) have been shown to be effective in helping to arrest caries in older adults. For more information about this treatment, see Boulevard Dental’s previous blog on silver diamine fluoride.
Periodontal (Gum) Disease and Oral Infection:
The risk for periodontal disease and oral infections also increases with age. One of the main reasons for this are the cognitive impairments that can occur with age, including dementia. Along with cognitive impairments often come a decreased ability to perform good at-home oral hygiene. It is recommended that not only the patient, but also their caregivers, are educated on good oral hygiene at this stage. They also should be instructed to remove, inspect, and clean partials and dentures before bed.
There are some problems that are inevitable with aging, but there are also steps we can take to minimize and treat the above oral health issues. We at Boulevard Dental are here for you to walk you through the aging process and its possible impact on your oral health. You are not alone!
Reference:
ADA. Aging and Oral Health. https://www.ada.org/resources/ada-library/oral-health-topics/aging-and-dental-health. Accessed March 9, 2026.