While the city of Columbus has a young attitude, the older population is growing both here in central Ohio and throughout the nation. According to the U.S. Administration on Aging, the number of Americans older than 65 is expected to reach nearly 71 million people by 2040, which is nearly double the population over 65 today.
As people live longer and retain more natural teeth, the oral health procedures needed can become more complex. Geriatric dentistry is a broad field that can include a number of dental health procedures, several of which are the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of caries and periodontal disease. Geriatric dentistry also includes oral mucosal diseases, neck and head pain, salivary dysfunction, and impaired chewing, tasting and swallowing.
Our goal at Schumacher & Bauer, DDS is to help our patients and their families maintain good oral health for life. The ADA has great advice and resources for older adults as well as their family members. Check out Aging and Dental Health to learn more how our older dental patients can continue to maintain fantastic oral health throughout their lives.
If you have a specific concern for your own dental health or an older family member’s, please don’t hesitate to contact the Schumacher & Bauer team today.
Source: ADA.org, Aging and Dental Health
