THE IMPORTANCE OF ORAL HEALTH IN THE OLDER PATIENT

Oral health is important to general health because stomatologic diseas e affects more than the mouth. Increasing preservation of teeth among present and future cohorts of older people has increased their risk fo r serious disease from oral pathogens. The intent of this paper is two fold: first, to alert non-dental health personnel to the significance of oral health and oral disease in the older adult; and second, to rec ruit the assistance of non-dental professionals in helping patients to achieve and maintain an optimal oral condition. Normative aging proce sses alone have little effect on the oral cavity, but common disease p rocesses affecting oral health include tooth loss, dental caries, peri odontal diseases, and oral mucosal diseases (including candidiasis and squamous cell carcinoma). Systemic diseases and their treatments freq uently affect salivary, oral motor, and oral sensory functions. As a r esult of bacteremia or aspiration of oral contents, organisms of oral origin can be responsible for serious nonstomatological infections. Cl inicians caring for older people need to recognize the importance of s tomatological health, include an oral component in the multidisciplina ry geriatric assessment, support the education of patients on aspects of dental health, and advocate the expansion of personal and public or al health benefits for older adults.