Senescence of the Dental Organs and Management of the Elderly in Dentistry

Human beings adapt, age, to live longer, but this physiological capacity to adapt diminishes. A human being who does not adapt does not age and dies. Normal ageing, which every living organism undergoes, takes place gradually and in the absence of disease. The anatomical and physiological changes associated with old age begin several years before the outward signs appear. Many of these changes begin to manifest themselves progressively from the age of 40 onwards and continue until death, i.e. until the body can no longer adapt. Physiologically, the process of senescence leads to a decline in body functions and then to the ageing of tissues and the general appearance of the body. Ageing is a gradual and irreversible process of changes in the body’s structures and functions resulting from the passage of time. This general definition given by the World Health Organization (WHO) allows us to approach a subject that is both vast and complex, concerning dentistry. The tissues and organs of the oral cavity undergo profound changes during the ageing process, which alters their functions and their potential for adaptation and healing. Thus, the oral care of elderly subjects cannot be identical to that of young adults because the pathologies are expressed differently and we cannot expect the same therapeutic results. The expected benefit must be multiple, both in terms of restoration of body integrity and function and in terms of the patient’s quality of life and health. It must be confronted with the notion of risk which is, once again, multiple since we must take into account the context of several pathologies and polyvalent medication characteristic of the elderly subject and also the fact that odontologic therapeutics frequently involve numerous sessions in the chair, which are difficult to bear for the elderly. Today, more than ever, the dental surgeon has an important role to play in good ageing. Through this work, we will address the following questions: What is ageing? What are the physiological changes of aging in the dental organs? The consequences of dental organ loss -What is the contribution of the dental surgeon in improving the oral health of the elderly?