Have you ever seen those cartoons where someone takes out their chattering teeth? The idea of someone only having gums has always seemed ridiculous to me. But these cartoons aren’t completely ridiculous, in fact they are based on some truth. Teeth loss among senior citizens is a big problem that stems from unhealthy gums. There are three main gum diseases that contribute to this growing problem.

Dry Mouth

Dry mouth is the first of these diseases. It is pretty much what it sounds like, a dry mouth. This disease occurs when we can’t make enough saliva to moisten our mouth. Without saliva bacteria is given a free invitation to live in our gums. As you can imagine this results in more problems than just feeling thirsty. But first we need to understand what contributes to Dry Mouth.

There are several contributing factors that lead to Dry Mouth Disease. The main cause comes from side effects of medication. This is possibly why Dry Mouth is much more common among older adults. The older a person gets the more and more likely they are to take some form of medication. According to KFF Health in 2019, almost 90% of adults who were 65 or older were taking some type of prescribed drug. Medication certainly isn’t the only cause of Dry Mouth. Certain diseases such as diabetes or Alzheimer’s disease can also contribute to Dry Mouth which in turn leads to many dental problems.

Dry Mouth can result in a lot of very uncomfortable symptoms. The first thing that you will experience is an inability to moisten your mouth. You will constantly feel thirsty and hoarse. You may experience sores in or around your mouth. You may have a hard time talking or even tasting and swallowing your food. One of its main effects is on your gums. Saliva’s job is to help reduce the growth of bacteria by washing away bits of food. When you don’t have enough saliva, your body no longer has its natural mouthwash. And if the bacteria doesn’t get washed away it could quickly infect your gums and turn into gum disease.

Gum Disease

Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease. It is the buildup of bacteria that inflames and irritates your gums. If gingivitis is not stopped it will soon turn into the second and final stage of gum disease, periodontitis. At this stage the bacteria will have harden into something called tarter. Tarter begins to wear away your gums and your teeth will begin to loosen and fall out.

According to the CDC, 2 in 3 adults 65 or older have gum disease. Age greatly increases your likely hood of getting gingivitis. The older you get, the harder it becomes to keep your teeth clean and the easier it is for bacteria to latch onto your gums. The most obvious cause of gingivitis is not properly cleaning your gums. Since gum disease stems from a buildup of bacteria, neglecting to brush or floss your teeth allows the bacteria to collect and slowly form into tarter. Neglecting to receive proper cleaning from a dentist also increases the likelihood of tarter.

There are many symptoms of gum disease. The most common are bleeding and swelling in the gums. You may also feel pain, especially when chewing food. Everyone has bad breath on occasion, but with gum disease your breath may seem especially smelly, and the odor may be harder to get rid of. Another symptom and possibly one of the biggest is receding gums.

Gum Recession

Gum Recession is when your gums begin to draw back, revealing more and more of your teeth. When gums recede small pockets between your teeth are revealed. These pockets collect bacteria which can quickly turn into disease and lead to tooth loss. Gum recession is no way exclusive to gum disease, but it is certainly a common side effect.

Possibly the most obvious way to tell if you have receding gums is simply by looking at your teeth. Are the crowns of your teeth showing? Do your teeth appear longer than before? As simple as this sounds, it isn’t always this easy. Gum recession happens naturally over a long period of time.

Some other very common telltale signs of gum disease are bleeding in the gums when brushing, pain in your gums, swollen gums, and bad breath.

It’s important to understand what causes gum recession to try to prevent it. One of the more subtle causes of gum recession is aggressive brushing. The harder you brush your gums, the quicker you will wear them out and cause them to retreat. On the other hand, not brushing or flossing your teeth enough can also lead to gum recession. Brushing and flossing keeps the bacteria on your teeth from turning into a harder substance called tarter. Tarter is a main cause of gum recession.

A third cause of gum recession is unfortunately one that cannot be helped, hormonal changes. This is the main reason it is so common among senior citizens. The older you get the more sensitive and worn your gums are.

Conclusion

The chance of all your teeth falling out like a cartoon’s is unlikely, but tooth loss is still a real problem that finds its roots in gum health. Once you understand the contributing diseases, a method of prevention is not far off. “What is this solution?” you may ask.

It’s simple. You’ve heard it a hundred times, but that doesn’t make it any less true. If you consistently clean your teeth and visit your dentist, then your gums will remain healthy and strong.

Suspect you have gum disease? Talk to your dentist. The best time to visit the dentist is before a problem occurs. The second-best time is today!