How does the oral environment change with age?

Aging is associated with some pathological and physiological changes that may affect the care of an oral cavity and disease patterns. They affect both the hard and soft tissues. Changes in hard dental tissues occur throughout life. There is still the surface of the formation of enamel and exposed dentine, with the increase of crystal growth, changed the orientation, and the inclusion of other minerals on the surface of the tooth. These changes lead to the surface of the enamel and dentin to be more resistant to demineralization. exposed Dentin increase peritubular dentin formation and secondary dentin deposition, giving higher mineralization tissues. On improving blood circulation and pulp capacity decreases with the increase of fibrous tissue of the tooth pulp, areas of ectopic calcification, and reduced the number odontoblasts. The net effect of these changes teeth that are more saline and with smaller and smaller vessels pulp in the elderly.

There are a number of other age-related changes that affect the soft tissues of the mouth, but do not affect the dentition.

They include:

• Thinning of the oral epithelium with low density and depth rete peg system, the depreciation of the epithelial attachment to sub-mucous membrane.
• Reducing the number of connective tissue with increased collagen density and the reduction of the level of collagen turnover.
• Decreased elasticity elastin giving decreases the elasticity of tissues.

These changes are usually of limited clinical significance in terms of maintaining oral health.

It is in the salivary glands that some of the most clinically significant changes. There are noticeable changes in the structure of the salivary glands, reducing the number of secretory units, and the increase of fibrous and fatty tissue of the gland that are potentially more directly related to the oral hygiene. Research on change in salivary flow with age impede the attraction of the salivary glands in a systemic disease, and the influence of various drugs on the function of the salivary. However, if these variables are controlled, it is now accepted that little change in salivary flow of the major glands increases with age, or in conditions of forced rest or expense. There are, however, some reduction of the flow from the minor salivary glands, which can have important consequences from the point of view of mucosal immunity. ..