Oral Health Topics: Aging and Dental Health
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- CE Credit(s):
-
1
- Member Price:
-
$5.00
- Retail Price:
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$40.00
Description:
Key Points
- The demographic of older adults (i.e., 65 years of
age and older) is growing and likely will be an increasingly large part of
dental practice in the coming years.
- Although better than in years past, the typical aging
patient’s baseline health state can be complicated by comorbid conditions
(e.g., hypertension, diabetes mellitus) and physiologic changes associated
with aging.
- Older adults may regularly use several prescription
and/or over-the-counter medications, making them more vulnerable to medication
errors, drug interactions or adverse drug reactions.
- Potential physical, sensory, and cognitive
impairments associated with aging may make home oral health care and patient
education/communications challenging.
- Dental conditions associated with aging include dry mouth (xerostomia),
root and coronal caries, and periodontitis; patients may show increased
sensitivity to drugs used in dentistry, including local anesthetics and
analgesics.