Older adults must be aware of dental hygiene

Maintaining high levels of dental hygiene during ageing is essential for both cleanliness and to prevent the development of oral diseases and those conditions associated with bad mouth health.

Professor Damien Walkmsley, scientific adviser to the British Dental Association, advised: "Older patients must consider their oral health carefully, taking the same approach to diet that should be applied to children, visiting the dentist regularly and brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste."

Older adults that smoke or drink alcohol are also being warned to be aware of the risks associated with such practices, including gum disease and oral cancers.

Oral cancer is a growing problem in the UK and appears as a persistent growth or sore in the mouth.

The most common symptoms include swellings/thickening, spots, crusts, and eroded areas.

Velvety white, red or speckled patched in the mouth is also a sign of oral cancer, as is unexplained bleeding, numbness and pain.

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