EN 
ES Dr. Arabella Michelén
Aging does not mean losing the magic of your smile. On the contrary, maintaining good oral health in older age is essential for quality of life, proper nutrition, easy communication, self-esteem, and socializing with friends and family. However, oral care is often underestimated at this stage, leading to both physical and mental discomfort.
Over the years, it is common for teeth to wear down, gums to recede, saliva production to decrease, and issues such as sensitivity to arise. However, this does not justify suffering from periodontal disease, cavities, bad breath, or tooth loss.
It is always important to keep in mind that the key to enjoying good oral health lies in:
- Proper hygiene: brushing your teeth upon waking and after every meal, using dental floss and mouthwash, as well as any other aids recommended by your dentist. It’s important to remember that with age, motor skills may decline, so the patient might replace their manual toothbrush with an electric one or use an oral irrigator—excellent choices. If assistance from another person becomes necessary, it should be provided, just as in other aspects of health care.
- A balanced diet suited to one’s overall health. Let’s remember that the mouth is part of the body and therefore has a close connection with systemic diseases.
- Regular dental visits. At this stage, it is important to have not only a primary dentist but also a periodontist.
Science and technology are advancing at a very fast pace, benefiting healthcare professionals in caring for older adults, even those with physical or mental limitations. Some of the most useful options include:
- Dental implants, which allow teeth to be replaced in a fixed and functional way.
- Accessible consultations and adapted clinics, increasingly focused on the care of older adults.
- Phototherapy: therapeutic light applied to the oral cavity helps reduce inflammation and pain while accelerating healing.
- Use of digital dentistry: avoiding uncomfortable analog impressions, reducing prosthesis fabrication time, minimizing the number of visits, and in some cases, even allowing certain procedures to be performed from home.
Advantages of maintaining good oral health in old age:
- Healthy nutrition: proper chewing allows you to enjoy a varied diet.
- Fewer systemic diseases: Oral infections can impact cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory problems, and more.
- Emotional well-being: A functional and attractive smile boosts self-esteem and social relationships.
- Greater comfort: Avoiding discomfort such as pain or bad breath, and being able to enjoy pleasures like a delicious ice cream without sensitivity, for example.
Nowadays, technology allows for effective, less invasive, and more comfortable solutions:
- Phototherapy: Therapeutic light applied to the oral cavity helps reduce inflammation and pain while accelerating healing. It is especially useful for older adults with sensitive gums or frequent canker sores.
- Intraoral scanners and 3D impressions: These replace the uncomfortable traditional molding pastes. With digital scanning, exact models of the mouth are obtained in seconds, allowing prostheses or restorations to be designed with high precision and without discomfort.
- 3D-printed prosthetics and immediate rehabilitations: they allow the recovery of dental pieces in less time, with personalized adjustments and improved aesthetics.
- Digital diagnostics: faster, more accurate X-rays with lower radiation exposure.
Good nutrition not only promotes overall health but also oral health. It is recommended to:
- Avoid very hard or sticky foods if you have prosthetics or sensitivity.
- Prioritize fruits, vegetables, soft proteins, and foods rich in calcium and vitamin D. It is important, in the presence of any systemic condition, to follow the guidance of your doctor and/or nutritionist. This is very common, for example, in patients with diabetes, heart disease, and others.
- Maintain good hydration to stimulate saliva production.
Oral health has no age. Thanks to technological advances and available resources, it is now possible to preserve natural teeth or replace them functionally and aesthetically, even in the face of age-related limitations. A healthy mouth in old age allows for proper nutrition, confident smiling, and living with dignity and well-being.
With prevention, professional care, and personal and family commitment, your smile can last a lifetime!