Care for our aging teeth

Methuselah reportedly lived to the ripe old age of 969 (is that doggie years?). Conveniently he missed the great flood by a week and probably didn’t brush and floss every day because he lost his teeth 800 years earlier. I am sure that if he had cared for his teeth and seen his dentist he could have held on to them much longer.

As we all know aging takes its toll on our physical attributes. The mouth and our dentition are not immune to the march of time. Let me briefly review some of the most common changes that can occur.

Saliva output usually diminishes as we get older. It makes sense considering other glands in our bodies start slowing down as well as the salivary glands. Eventually a “dry mouth” condition develops and teeth lose their lubricating and protective film. Oral bacteria flourish and destructive decay and gum disease that had been in remission for our “mid-life” years returns. There are several over the counter products that can promote salivary output to ease the feeling of dry mouth. Prescription formulations are available for more severe types of dry mouth.

As teeth wear against each other there is microscopic loss of the hard tooth enamel. Through the years this enamel wears thin or entirely disappears until the softer dentin core of the tooth is exposed. At this point the wear rate becomes rapid and the teeth will become noticeably shorter. The smile becomes old and worn and the teeth may look jagged and twisted due to the uneven wearing of the edges. The youthful healthy appearances of the face changes and the teeth no longer show up in a smile. Your dentist can restore lost tooth structure or make removable mouth guards to slow down this wear rate.

If Methuselah drank coffee, tea, and soda drinks for 969 years, his teeth darkened from food stains leaking into the enamel. This probably started when he was 40 years old. He probably didn’t notice because there were not a lot of mirrors and models on magazine covers to remind him of what he looked like. Fortunately for us there are products which can be applied that will help restore the teeth to a more attractive and brighter shade.

Your dentist can monitor and advise you of how your dentition is “accepting” the aging process. Early warning signs can be detected and monitored by regular visits to your dental team.

Oral Cancer

Let me review the facts about oral cancer. The American Dental Association has estimated that there are about 36,000 new cases of oral cancer diagnosed every year in the United States. About 25% will die from this disease. Disturbingly, about one half of these new cases occur in people under 50 years old and most are non smokers. There is a five-fold increase in the incidence of oral cancer in people under 40.

Why are the demographic changes occurring? Some attribute the increase to the sexual revolution and the accompanying increase in oral sex. The culprit is the HPV virus that is a known risk factor for oral, head, and neck cancers.

As with most cancers early detection can reduce the morbidity and certainly the treatment required to rid the individual of the tumor. What doctor actually spends all of their time looking into your mouth to fix cavities, heal infected gums, improve smiles, clean teeth, and remove bad teeth? Your dentist of course!

Dentists and hygienists spend a few moments at every examination studying the soft tissues of the mouth to detect any changes, growths, and discolorations. Although visual examination can be effective dentists have a variety of screening tests that can be performed to detect changes under the soft tissues of the mouth.

These include a mouth rinse and examination with a fluorescent light, an oral scraping, and special optical lights. These tests can assure the dentist and the patient that everything is probably okay. In a few cases a referral to the oral surgeon for a confirming biopsy is necessary. In a minority of these biopsies further treatment is required.

The seriousness or incidence of fatality of oral cancer should require a thorough examination and aggressive treatment. Annual examinations are recommended and follow-up necessary. In general any mouth sore should not last more than two weeks.

I remember when my uncle was informed that he had a squamous carcinoma on his tongue. Thinking it would heal and go away he did nothing about it for three months until the pain was overwhelming. The cancer had spread into the jawbone so the surgeon was forced to remove half of his jaw and tongue. My uncle had to retrain himself how to eat food again in front of a mirror. Speech was greatly hampered and the facial deformity was obvious.

Please see your dentist at regular intervals.


For answers to your dental questions, contact

Douglas Urban, D.D.S.
Cerritos, CA 90703
562 924-1523
DrDouglasUrban.com