National Institute on Aging

Taking Care 

of Your Teeth 

and Mouth

Max is shocked. His dentist told him that 

he has a tooth that needs to come out. The 

63-year-old had been sure he would keep 

his teeth forever. Max is going to work 

with his dentist on taking better care of his 

remaining teeth.

Healthy teeth and gums make it easy 

for you to eat well and enjoy good 

food. There are a number of problems 

that can affect the health of your 

mouth, but good care should keep 

your teeth and gums strong.

Tooth Decay

Teeth are covered in a hard, 

outer coating called enamel. Every 

day, a thin film of bacteria called 

dental plaque builds up on your 

teeth. The bacteria in plaque produce 
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acids that can begin 

to harm enamel. Over 

time, the acids can 

cause a hole in the 

enamel. This hole is 

called a cavity. Brushing 

and flossing your teeth 

can protect you from decay, 

but once a cavity happens, a dentist 

has to fix it.

You can protect your teeth from 

decay by using fluoride toothpaste. 

If you are at a higher risk for tooth 

decay (for example, if you have a dry 

mouth because of medicines you take), 

you might need more fluoride. Your 

dentist or dental hygienist may give 

you a fluoride treatment during an 

office visit. Or, the dentist may tell 

you to use a fluoride gel or mouth 

rinse at home. 

Gum Diseases

Gum disease begins when plaque 

builds up along and under the gum 

line. This plaque causes infections that 

hurt the gum and bone that hold teeth 

in place. Sometimes gum disease makes

your gums tender and more likely to 

bleed. This problem, called gingivitis, 

can often be fixed by daily brushing 

and flossing. 
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A more severe form of gum disease, 

called periodontitis, needs to be treated 

by a dentist. If not treated, this infection 

can ruin the bones, gums, and other 

tissues that support your teeth. Over 

time, your teeth may have to be removed.

To prevent gum disease:

F Brush your teeth twice a day with 

fluoride toothpaste. 

F Floss once a day. 

F Visit your dentist regularly for a 

checkup and cleaning. 

F Eat a well-balanced diet. 

F Quit smoking. Smoking increases 

your risk for gum disease.

Cleaning Your Teeth 

And Gums

There is a right way to brush and 

floss your teeth. Every day:

F Gently brush your teeth on all 

sides with a soft-bristle brush and 

fluoride toothpaste. 

F Use small circular motions and 

short back-and-forth strokes. 

F Take the time to brush carefully 

and gently along the gum line. 

F Lightly brush your tongue to help 

keep your mouth clean.
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People with arthritis or other 

conditions that limit hand motion 

may find it hard to hold and use a 

toothbrush. Some helpful ideas are:

F Use an electric or battery-operated 

toothbrush. 

F Slide a bicycle grip or foam tube 

over the handle of the toothbrush. 

F Buy a toothbrush with a larger 

handle. 

F Attach the toothbrush handle to 

your hand with a wide elastic band.

You also need to clean around your 

teeth with dental floss every day. 

Careful flossing will take off plaque 

and leftover food that a toothbrush 

can’t reach. Be sure to rinse after 

you floss. 

See your dentist if 

brushing or flossing 

causes your gums 

to bleed or hurts 

your mouth. If you 

have trouble flossing, a 

floss holder may help. Ask 

your dentist to show you the 

right way to floss.

Dentures

Sometimes, false teeth (dentures) are 

needed to replace badly damaged teeth. 
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Partial dentures may be used to fill in 

one or more missing teeth. Dentures 

may feel strange at first. In the beginning, your dentist may want to see you 

often to make sure the dentures fit. 

Over time, your gums will change 

shape and your dentures may need to 

be adjusted or replaced. Be sure to let 

your dentist handle these adjustments.

Use floss 

between 

lower teeth.

Hold floss 

as shown.

Use floss 

between 

upper teeth.

How to Floss
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When you are learning to eat with 

dentures, it may be easier if you:

F Start with soft, non-sticky food. 

F Cut your food into small pieces. 

F Chew slowly using both sides of

your mouth.

Be careful when wearing dentures 

because it may be harder for you to 

feel hot foods and drinks or notice 

bones in your mouth from your food.

Keep your dentures clean and free 

from food that can cause stains, bad 

breath, or swollen gums. Brush them 

every day with a denture care product. 

Take your dentures out of your mouth 

at night, and put them in water or a 

denture-cleansing liquid. 

Dry Mouth

Dry mouth happens when you don’t 

have enough saliva, or spit, to keep 

your mouth wet. Many common medicines can cause dry mouth. That can 

make it hard to eat, swallow, taste, and 

even speak. Dry mouth can cause tooth 

decay and other infections of the mouth. 

There are some things

 you can try that may help 

with dry mouth. Try sipping

water or sugarless drinks. Don’t 

smoke and avoid alcohol 
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and caffeine. Sugarless hard candy or 

sugarless gum may help. Your dentist 

or doctor might suggest that you use 

artificial saliva to keep your mouth wet. 

Or they may have other ideas on how 

to cope with dry mouth.

Oral Cancer

Cancer of the mouth can grow in 

any part of the mouth or throat. It is 

more likely to happen in people over 

age 40. A dental 

checkup is a good 

time for your dentist 

to look for signs of 

oral cancer. Pain is 

not usually an early 

symptom of the 

disease. Treatment 

works best before 

the disease spreads. Even if you have 

lost all your natural teeth, you should 

still see your dentist for regular oral 

cancer exams. 

You can lower your risk of getting 

oral cancer in a few ways:

F Do not use tobacco products—

cigarettes, chewing tobacco, snuff, 

pipes, or cigars. 

F If you drink alcohol, do so only in 

moderation. 

F Use lip balm with sunscreen.
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Finding Low-Cost 

Dental Care

Sometimes dental care can be costly. 

Medicare does not cover routine dental 

care. Very few states offer dental coverage under Medicaid. You may want 

to check out private dental insurance 

for older people. Make sure you are 

aware of the cost and what services are 

covered. The following resources may 

help you find low-cost dental care:

F Some dental schools have clinics 

where students get experience treating 

patients at a reduced cost. Qualified 

dentists supervise the students. Visit 

www.ada.org for a list of U.S. dental 

schools.

F Dental hygiene schools may offer 

supervised, low-cost care as part of 

the training experience for dental 

hygienists. See schools listed by State 

at www.adha.org.

F Call your county or State health 

department to find dental clinics near 

you that charge based on your income.

F Call 1-888-275-4772 (toll-free) to 

locate a community health center near 

you that offers dental services, or visit 

www.hrsa.gov (scroll down to “Find a 

Health Center”). 
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F United Way chapters may be able to 

direct you to free or reduced-cost dental 

services in your community. Call “211” 

to reach a local United Way chapter.

For More Information

Here are some helpful resources: 

American Dental Association 

211 East Chicago Avenue 

Chicago, IL 60611-2678 

1-800-621-8099 (toll-free)

www.ada.org 

American Dental Hygienists’ 

Association

444 North Michigan Avenue 

Suite 3400

Chicago, Il 60611

1-312-449-8900

www.adha.org

Health Resources and Services 

Administration

Information Center

P.O. Box 2910

Merrifield, VA 22116

1-888-275-4772 (toll-free)

1-877-489-4772 (TTY/toll-free)

www.hrsa.gov

National Institute of Dental and 

Craniofacial Research 

National Oral Health Information 

Clearinghouse

1-866-232-4528

www.nidcr.nih.gov
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National Institutes of Health 

U.S. Department of Health & 

Human Services

August 2008

Updated April 2011

For more information on health and 

aging, contact:

National Institute on Aging

Information Center

P.O. Box 8057

Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8057

1-800-222-2225 (toll-free)

1-800-222-4225 (TTY/toll-free)

www.nia.nih.gov

www.nia.nih.gov/Espanol

To sign up for regular email alerts 

about new publications and other 

information from the NIA, go to 

www.nia.nih.gov/health.

Visit www.nihseniorhealth.gov, a seniorfriendly website from the National 

Institute on Aging and the National 

Library of Medicine. This website has 

health and wellness information for 

older adults. Special features make it 

simple to use. For example, you can click 

on a button to have the text read out loud 

or to make the type larger.