Today, approximately 75 percent of senior citizens over age 65 have kept some or all of their teeth – a record -thanks to better preventive measures like community water fluoridation and daily brushing with fluoride toothpaste, according to the American Dental Association,” a press release carried by the Senior Journal (12/19) announces. The release goes on to state that dental health can have a significant effect on overall health, and, as an example, points to a recent study in the Journal of Dental Research that “found that very elderly adults (ages 85 and older) in community-living settings who slept in dentures were at a higher risk of developing pneumonia because bacteria from the mouth could be inhaled into the lungs.” The press release then goes on to list ADA advice on how to maintain proper dental health.
Meanwhile, on its website, KAMR-TV (12/19) reports the results of the Journal of Dental Research study, quoting Dr. Judith Jones, DDS, of the American Dental Association. Dr. Jones said, “it’s really important if you have dentures of any type to make sure that you take them out every night,” adding that people should “take them out, clean them carefully, store them in a cup of liquid, and in the morning clean them again.
