ADA statistics confirm that the Baby Boomer generation is dominating the oral healthcare market - in fact, baby boomer numbers will reach as high as 79 million during the career of current dental graduates. This "Senior Tsunami" is changing dentistry. These aging boomers have a very different attitude towards dentistry than did their predecessors. They no longer consider tooth loss an inevitable consequence of aging and are willing to "put their money where their mouth is" if care is available.
Better dental and health care as well as water fluoridation has contributed to healthier teeth in much of the boomer population than in preceding generations. But boomers don't want to just keep their teeth - they want them to look good as well, giving them a more youthful, attractive appearance. Cosmetic procedures like tooth whitening and veneers are among the most popular treatments requested.
It is important to remember that a great deal more than mere appearance is at stake. An array of complex conditions become more common with advancing age, and failure to maintain proper dental care can have adverse consequences on overall health. Periodontal, or gum disease is treated quite seriously by today's dentists because researchers have discovered periodontal pathogens in plaques that have built up within arteries. Research has clearly linked periodontal disease with heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and chronic kidney disease.
It is common for those in the boomer generation to have silver amalgam fillings. These older filling types require occasional replacement, and with each re-filling more of the tooth's structure must be removed. This eventually renders a tooth too weak to take another filling. Recent advances in dental technology, however, allow for use of a new type of durable, long lasting ceramic material for restoring such teeth. It can replace anatomy lost to cavities, fillings or cracks, and it contracts and expands at the same rate as natural teeth. This results in considerably less stress on the remaining tooth and the teeth around the restoration.
Increasingly, dentists are moving away from the old "drill, fill and bill" model of treatment. Instead, they focus on educating their patients about oral care to prevent the need for fillings and other treatments. Everyone can benefit from good oral hygiene practices as well as seeing a dentist every six months, but this is especially important for the aging population. Paying close attention to gums and teeth, and knowing how to spot potential problems early, is a skill that boomers should focus on developing.
Loose teeth, bleeding gums or a bad taste in your mouth are symptoms of possible gum disease. If your mouth seems to be dry, this could be an actual condition aptly called dry mouth. Both these issues require attention from a dentist to correct. Screening for oral cancer is also a service that your dental health professional will provide.
Along with the rest of the population, some boomers have a fear of dental checkups. Others suffer from jaw pain, gagging or other issues that cause discomfort during oral exams and treatments. An excellent, needle-free option is sedation dentistry, which uses medications to help calm and relax patients prior to the procedure. This method can allow you to get the dental treatment you need without pain or fear, resulting in an experience free of discomfort. Sedation dentistry can also make it possible to get multiple treatments completed in a single visit.
In Portland Oregon, contact West Hills Dental Center, a dental office that is familiar with the needs of the baby boomer generation and has prepared his office to be experts in their specific dentistry concerns. West Hills Dental Center also offers sedation dentistry for those who prefer this option. Powered by SEO 2.0 Optimization Services
