Americans are living longer and continuing to enjoy the lifestyles they have grown accustomed to, in large part, thanks to advances in modern medicine and dentistry. No longer are seniors housebound, forced to live out their senior years watching television in the recesses of an isolated dark living room. 
Advances in dentistry have created not only the opportunity, but the expectation of continued oral health throughout a lifetime. People expect to enjoy active lifestyles which include the enjoyment of fine dining and the youthful look a full dentition provides by supporting facial structures and thus retaining a youthful appearance. Medicine has shown time and time again that nutrition is one of the key factors in maintaining health, requiring a healthy dentin to perform this function. The oral-systemic relationship is proven; chronic inflammation or infection in the mouth affects the whole body. Periodontal disease, a chronic inflammation, has been proven to increase the likelihood of stroke, heart attack, diabetes and other maladies. Infection in the mouth increases the rate of prosthetic joint failure and rejection. Examples of the correlation between oral health and overall health are endless. Continue reading “Geriatric Dentistry”