Oral cavity health in geriatric patients (literature review)

Population aging due to declining fertility and mortality trends is a major concern worldwide, especially in developing countries. Due to increasing life expectancy, there is a marked increase in the proportion of elderly patients requiring dental care. Dental treatment should be adapted to the age-related changes in the oral mucosa and underlying systemic diseases. Dentists play a key role in the diagnosis of oral manifestations of systemic diseases in the elderly. This review examines the impact of aging on oral tissues and common oral and systemic diseases in geriatrics. The literature review was conducted both electronically and manually. Various scientific journals and web-based search engines were used for the electronic search. The search terms were geriatrics, oral manifestations, systemic diseases, elderly. Dental treatment of patients with systemic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological disorders was also highlighted. Oral health problems in older adults should be treated with regular professional and personal care and an understanding of the changes that occur with age