I recently had a patient come in for a checkup who had brought in her 92 year old mother a few years prior. Her mother had been getting neglectful about looking after her teeth and she wanted to have me take a look at what was going on inside her mouth. After reviewing the situation, I could see that this was a 92 year old woman who was engaged in living life, who visited her family and friends and wanted to keep herself healthy as long as she could. I mentioned to the daughter that in order to get her mother’s dental health into shape, she would need some extensive dental care including fillings, crowns, and a fixed bridge, along with some cleaning appointments. When her mother was told this, she said “Yes, let’s do the work. I’m not getting any younger and I want to go back to enjoying my meals and feeling good about myself and my health.”
Well, we proceeded to take care of our 92 year old patient’s needs and she became very fond of coming in to see us. She responded well to our dental therapy and treatment plan. We could see that she was smiling again and was pleased at how well she could now chew and speak with her teeth and gums in good condition. The daughter mentioned that she and her mother were so appreciative that we had taken the time to share with them all the options for her dental care, even though she was 92 years old.
Getting back to the recent interaction with the daughter, I heard that her dear mother had passed away last year at 97 years old but was chewing and eating comfortably until the very end. She also said that she felt her mother’s dental health and well-being was partially responsible for her longevity and good spirit.
The message that I wish to share is that it is never too late to pursue having a healthy mouth so that you can eat well, socialize with confidence and have the opportunity to live a richer quality of life.
Wishing you the best of health and happy smiles!
Bradley A. Ross, DDS is the owner of Mission Trails Dentistry,
located at 6902 Navajo Road at Jackson Drive.
Dr. Ross welcomes questions from readers at dentistrysandiego@gmail.com 619-582-9700
