Insufficiency of dental care among seniors, a big issue in the aging society

Aging society has emerged as a global issue, with Japan being a predominant nation addressing it. The Japanese Cabinet Office reveals that the rate of the aging population reached 29% in 2022, the highest rate globally. Additionally, nearly 6.7 million people over the age of 65 need nursing care.

The social issue draws financial attention among the Japanese; however, some health problems, such as the insufficiency of dental care among seniors requiring elderly care, are less spotlighted, despite being predominantly linked to their overall health.

The reality of dental hygiene among geriatrics

According to a survey conducted by Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting in 2022, more than half of seniors in nursing homes report having dental problems. Their top three issues are as follows: periodontitis (32%), tooth decay (29%) and wisdom tooth problems (26%). These issues are closely associated with the quality of life for elderly generations since 85% of respondents realize that.

Reasons behind the dental hygiene issues among geriatrics requiring nursing care include taking more time, encountering psychological and physical difficulties, and lacking confidence to practice daily care.

Dental hygiene affects overall health issues

The point is that an insufficient level of tooth care can provoke potential health problems.

For instance, pneumonia, one of the dental-related diseases among seniors, is caused by bacterial multiplication in their mouth. Surprisingly, dementia, from which elderly people commonly suffer, is also correlated with oral care. The predominant reason is a lower ability to chew due to tooth decay. The lower their ability, the less they can circulate blood to the brain and substances to the nervous system, thus, the occurrence of diseases becomes substantially higher.

Dental care items born in Japan provide a clue to tackle tooth problems

An innovative Japanese company, Oral Peace, is tackling the issue of dental hygiene for elderly care. They focused on the lack of appropriate care products for elderly people who have difficulty gargling or spitting, and worked to develop a care product that thoroughly sterilizes the inside of the oral cavity and is safe even if swallowed together with Kyushu University.

Their toothpaste is an exceptional item, succeeding in providing safe opportunities in terms of oral care since their items never harm human bodies due to their high-level of biodegradation, along with 100% toxic-free and environmentally-friendly ingredients. Antibacterial peptide, which has been the first and only certified as an edible ingredient by world health institutions, is used for their products. Given that, it doesn’t harm gut flora if people accidentally swallow the toothpaste.

Their products originated from their own experiences caring for those who had difficulty swallowing and had suffered from chronic oral problems. Their sincere hope is a healthy and happy life for every family member.

There are no overnight solutions for the issue to dental hygiene for elderly care; however, taking advantage of these clean and safe items and practicing oral care daily will bring health back to seniors, and, hopefully, allow them to fulfill their lives every day in an aging society.