What is senior dentistry?

Senior dentistry at Eastpoint Dental Clinic (also known as geriatric dentistry) is an age-defined specialty that provides both preventive and therapeutic dental care for seniors and older adults.

Prior to tooth loss, seniors may experience tooth sensitivity or discoloration due to a loss of enamel and dentin (hard, calcareous tissue beneath the enamel), or root deterioration caused by gum recession. Seniors are more prone to periodontal disease (gum disease) resulting from improper dental hygiene practices, poor diet, ill-fitting dental appliances and/or diseases such as cancer or diabetes. In fact, the supporting bone structure for the teeth, including the jaw, may shift, which can play havoc on a senior's bite and may contribute to tooth decay.

Seniors are also more likely to suffer from inflammation of gum tissue, dry mouth syndrome (often caused by medications) or oral thrush (a fungal disease causing ulcers and whitish spots on membranes of the mouth due to its effect on the immune system).

For senior members of your family suffering from tooth loss or decay, we offer comfortable and custom-fitted dentures, dental bridges, and dental implants.

What senior dentistry services do you offer?

The staff at Eastpoint Dental Clinic will work with you to develop a customized dental hygiene plan that incorporates dental examination, tooth cleaning, X-ray and use of other diagnostic equipment to prevent, uncover or treat problems as early as possible. Our senior services include:

Want more information?  Read one of our Fact Sheets!

Should I be concerned about dry mouth?   What is periodontal disease?   What is minimally invasive dentistry?   What nutrients are good for your teeth?   What is involved in a root canal?

What are the signs of oral cancer?   What if it's too difficult to brush?   What causes tooth decay?   Do I really need to floss?   What causes tooth erosion?