The biggest changes in oral health going on right now are that people are keeping their natural teeth for life and that older adults are getting more cavities than kids. So says Randy Huffines, D.D.S., Director of Dental Geriatrics at Quillen Medical Center in Tennessee. Dr. Huffines discussed some of the challenges in treating older dental patients during a presentation at the American Dental Association's (ADA) 140th Annual Session a few years ago.

"In just one generation, we have advanced from the majority of seniors having lost all their teeth to the present day when the vast majority have been able to retain some or all of their natural teeth," Dr. Huffines says. He says dentists are now treating oral health problems that were rarely mentioned a generation ago. "Root caries or root decay is an increasing problem for older adults because they're keeping some, if not all, of their own teeth. This is something dentists have not had to deal with too much in the past," Dr. Huffines explains. "Over 95 percent of seniors have lost some of their gum tissue, exposing tooth roots that are very suspectible to decay. Home care may also become more difficult for older adults because of dexterity problems or a physical disability. In additional, many are are taking medications that reduce saliva, the body's natural defense against cavities."

Dr. Huffines cites a recent New England study that found seniors have three times the prevalence of tooth decay of children. Fluoridated water is an important weapon against tooth decay for all ages, but an increasing number of seniors are not receiving the benefits of flouride because they're drinking bottled water without fluoride or have home purifiers that take the fluoride out of water.