Dental Health for the Elderly: Impact on Tooth Loss

As we age, there are many health complications that arise, often requiring minimal treatment. The difficulty with aging is that we often have trouble determining what is a major health concern and what health complications only require minimal care. When caring for an aging parent, especially one who has begun losing teeth, it is important to know what health complications may be linked to the development of edentulous.

Because of tooth loss, it is not uncommon for an aging adult to experience complications including bad breath, dry mouth, and even the development of infections. In fact, the mouth of an aging adult is often the first sign that an infection is developing and, therefore, it is important to routinely ask to examine the mouth of your aging parent. In addition, routine dental visits are important and should be done at intervals more frequently than that of typical dental cleanings.

One very common oral health complication that is overlooked in the aging adult involves that of excessive coating along the tongue. While it may be considered an unusual reaction to a metabolic disorder or even a reaction to food that was ingested, there are some aging adults that are suffering from the early signs of pneumonia. In the aging adult with missing teeth, the presence of excessive tongue coating may be indicative of pneumonia development. More specifically, the oral health complication may be associated with aspiration pneumonia.

Conversely, if an aging adult develops a coating on the tongue, this may lead to the development of pneumonia. In some cases, coating on the tongue may be indicative of the development of a fungal infection. As the fungal infection spreads, so does the risk for developing pneumonia. Fungal infections related to aspiration and development into pneumonia, in the elderly, can be challenging to treat.

In the daily course of hygiene and healthcare, ask your aging parent if you may inspect their tongue to ensure there is no evidence of health risk. With a quick view of the tongue, you can capture the early warning signs in the development of pneumonia. In many health cases, the coating along the tongue is this early warning sign that is overlooked, especially in adults with significant tooth loss. For this reason, it is important to care for our teeth throughout adulthood but, when tooth loss occurred, recognize that a health complication, such as pneumonia, may develop and the coating along the tongue is often a first indicator.

Sources: American Journal of Dentistry, 1998(3) 131-149.