Nutrition

Lecturer4
The Oral Health of the Ageing Population
nutritionist Clinical /Dr. Hamas Swiaed
General Population Demographic
The world’s population is ageing: both the number and the
share of older adults are rapidly increasing in virtually every country in the world.
Back in 2002, the Population Division of the United Nations already reported that
world “population ageing is unprecedented and has profound implications for
many facets of human life”.
Epidemiological studies show that older persons are particularly
affected by poor oral health, with negative consequences on their general health.
Diseases such as dental caries, periodontal disease, tooth loss, dry mouth or oral
cancer affect their chewing function and nutritional intake, as well as their ability
to interact socially, thus leading to a drastic decrease in quality of life or even
death.
Not only do elderly populations today have poor oral health, but
they also have difficulty accessing oral healthcare due to
affordability and physical accessibility issues.
The number of people aged 60 years or more is projected to
increase from 901 million in 2015 to 1.4 billion in 2030, i.e. a 56% growth. This
highlights the urgency to adapt health systems to meet the emerging and
increasing oral health needs of ageing populations to avoid a public health crisis

1-Edentulism is called toothlessness is simply the loss of one or

more teeth. All adults normally have 32 teeth, and if any one of these falls out, a
person has Edentulism. A person can have partial Edentulism, which means they
still have some teeth left, or they can have complete Edentulism which means they
have lost all of their teeth.

-edentulism, reduces quality of life because it interferes with

the ability to eat, speak, and feel comfortable among other people. Tooth loss
affects a person’s ability to consume nutritious food and also can impact how a
person eats and socializes with others while consuming food.
There are two types of edentulism that people can have:
partial and complete. Only partial tooth loss is referred to as
partial edentulism. Some of the natural teeth in those who are impacted by this
type are still present.
The upper jaw experiences tooth loss far more frequently than
the lower jaw. Complete edentulism, meanwhile, is an oral cavity without any
teeth.
Causes of Edentulism
1- The use of tobacco products
2- Eating foods with excessive sugar and acid
3- Tooth decay
4- Osteoporosis
5- Bad oral hygiene
6- Old age
7- Vitamin deficiencies
8- Diabetes
9-Having high blood pressure
10-Havingrheumatd arthritis
Treat Edentulism
1-Practice good oral hygiene (brushing twice hygiene (brushing
twice a day, flossing daily, and rinsing with mouthwash).
2-Visit the dentist regularly and have them perform dental
cleanings and exam appointments to protect your teeth and gums from disease.
3- Avoid crunchy foods as they may crack or chip teeth. These
cracks and chips can lead to tooth loss.
 Lastly, limit alcohol and tobacco use. Alcohol and tobacco are
two of the leading causes of oral disease, especially when consumed often.

The Partially Dentate Older Population

- Whilst increasing tooth retention is seen as a significant improvement in the oral
health of the
-older population it does bring with it the emerging challenges of managing
chronic dental diseases
including caries, periodontal disease and tooth wear in older adults. Due to
factors such as diet, reduced manual dexterity and xerostomia, these chronic
dental diseases can cause considerable pain and suffering amongst older patients
and impair oral function.
Tooth wear
Tooth wear is the gradual loss of tooth substance due to
repetitive physical contacts or chemical dissolution It can because by abrasion,
attrition or erosion. The most common type of tooth wear in older patients is
physiological. All dentate older patients will manifest some degree of tooth wear.
There are four types of tooth wear:
1-physiological tooth wear is the loss of tooth structure
associated with ageing with no associated pathology.
2- Abrasion is due to extrinsic physical forces.
3-Attrition is due to intrinsic physical forces.
4-Erosion is due to acid which can be either extrinsic or
intrinsic.
Adopting a 4-step approach to improve oral health of the
elderly
Step 1 -Assess and monitor needs
Define core oral health indicators and assess oral healthcare
needs Collect data on oral healthcare manpower and system Share and adapt data
on a continuous basis
Step 2-Seek appropriate health care system and provision
Provide information and evidence to policymakers Introduce
multiprofessional and sectoral collaboration for sustainable systems (CRFA)
Raise awareness of oral health measures and values Integrate
oral/general healthcare systems

Step 3- Reduce the global burden of oral diseases and

disability
Shape evidence-based oral health programs -
-Prevent/control tooth loss and oral diseases
-Reduce oral health risk factors for NCDs and prevent frailty
-Contribute to reducing health inequalities
Strengthen health policy
Step 4- Contribute to and achieve a healthy ageing society
-Promote the shared value of oral/general health
-Achieve active ageing in a healthy community -
-Seek more effective/efficient healthcare systems
-Monitor health inequalities on a continuous basis