Dental care ranks as a top concern for seniors

Older adults are particularly susceptible to problems with oral health.

More than two thousand local adults age 60 and older ranked dental care as a top issue of concern, a Pima Council on Aging community survey report last year showed.

In fact, affordable dental care has been identified as the No. 1 problem for individuals older than 60 and living in Pima County, for the last three PCOA Community Surveys.

It has long been recognized that oral health has far-reaching effects on the overall health of individuals.

In April 2003, then-U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona released a national call to action to promote oral health and followed it up that fall by addressing a Senate committee on aging. Among the factors he cited:

• Periodontal infections are more common in older adults; about 23 percent of 65- to 74-year-olds have several periodontal diseases.

• About 30 percent of individuals 65 and older have lost all their teeth (statistics vary by state).
• Studies show a possible link between oral infections and systemic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and respiratory infections.
• The incidence of oral and pharyngeal cancers is higher among older adults than for other age groups.
• Many older adults take medications that have the complicating side effect of reducing salivary flow. This results in dry mouth, which contributes to dental decay.

Missing teeth, cavities and periodontal disease are not marginal oral-health issues. Older adults with the poorest oral health are those who are economically disadvantaged and lack insurance. Being homebound, institutionalized or disabled also increases the risk of poor oral health.

Payment for dental services is generally out-of-pocket for older people. Medicare does not cover routine dental services like cleaning, oral exams or X-rays.

Medicare coverage applies in very limited situations. Many Medicare Advantage plans offer supplemental dental coverage. The levels of coverage vary from routine care, like cleaning, X-rays and oral exam to a more comprehensive dental package.

In addition, most older adults have limited income. This results in compromised access to dental care. While 61 percent of the population report having made a dental visit in the past year, only 45 percent of adults age 75 and older said they kept a dental appointment.

Subsidized dental-care assistance is very limited in Pima County.

PCOA provides an updated list of local dental care services for low-income older adults and people with disabilities. Visit the PCOA website at www.pcoa.org/resources to download the dental resources document. Or, call the PCOA helpline at 790-7262 to find out more about the PCOA dental resources community service list.