Oral and Dental Health Care in Older Adults
Studies indicate that older adults have a higher risk of periodontal disease and need to do more to maintain good oral health. Dental health care is important at any age but when you take in account that almost one out of four people over age 65 have lost most to all of their teeth and that receding gums tissue affects the majority of older people proper dental care for seniors is an important issue to address.
That said many seniors still do not get the proper dental care they need to to factors such as no means of transportation to a dental offices Cost of dental care (many seniors are on fixed incomes and can not afford the added expense) as well as a lack of dental insurance. Many seniors feel they do not need dental care even though poor dental health care has been link to other health risk factors.