Aspen Dental Celebrates Older Americans Month
Industry leader offer tips on senior oral health care.
Syracuse, NY (PRWEB) May 19, 2007 -- The month of May has been declared Older Americans Month by the U.S. Administration on Aging. This year's theme, "Older Americans: Making Choices for a Healthier Future," focuses on providing older persons and their loved ones with the information and opportunities they need to live better quality lives through healthful life decisions. The month-long commemoration serves to show appreciation for older Americans and encourage healthy behavior to ensure a long, happy life.
To help celebrate Older Americans Month, Aspen Dental (www.aspendent.com) is offering up to $600 off its comfidents® brand dentures, free new patient exams and x-rays, and a 15 per cent discount for seniors at all of their convenient locations. Each Aspen Dental office provides a full range of dental services to patients, including general and cosmetic dentistry such as teeth whitening, hygiene and oral surgery, and eight styles of full and partial dentures from Aspen's exclusive line of comfidents® brand dentures.
Aspen dentists recognize that proper oral hygiene is necessary for living a healthy, happy life. According to Maureen Howes, Manager of Hygiene Services, "The risks associated with poor oral health increase as we age. In fact, studies indicate a link between gum disease and a heightened risk of heart attack or stroke. Bacteria introduced into the bloodstream, by way of mouth, has a large impact on the body's natural defenses."
Gum disease, if caught early enough, can be controlled and possibly reversed. Adults, especially seniors, are advised to be on the lookout for the following warning signs:
| | - Difficulty chewing and swallowing
- Sensitivity to hot, cold or sweet food
- Gums bleeding as a result of brushing
- Gums that have pulled away from the teeth
- Red, tender or swollen gums
- Loose teeth, or changes in your bite and/or fit of your partial dentures
- Constant bad-breath
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Howes also noted that one of the reoccurring symptoms that Aspen Dentists see among elderly patients is decreased salivary production. She said many medications and medical disorders affect saliva production.
According to a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control, many older Americans take prescription and over-the-counter medications that can cause dry mouth, which reduces the flow of saliva. Saliva contains antimicrobial elements and minerals that help reconstruct tooth enamel that has been attacked by decay-causing bacteria. This reduction in saliva increases the risk for oral disease.
Aspen dentists provide older patients a variety of custom-fit dentures, dental treatment and education to help fight against gum disease. For more information visit the company's website at www.aspendent.com. For additional information on Older American's Month, visit the U.S. Administration on Aging website at www.aoa.gov.
About Aspen Dental:
Aspen Dental provides access to high-quality, affordable denture and dental care through a full range of dental services, including general and cosmetic dentistry, hygiene, oral surgery, whitening, fillings, crowns and bridges. Aspen Dental specializes in fixed and removable prosthetic dentistry, offering a choice of eight proprietary styles of full and partial dentures through its comfidents® brand. There are more than 100 Aspen Dental offices throughout Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Arizona. Aspen strives to serve historically under-served members of the community by providing dental care to the 40 percent of the population with no regular dentist or pattern of dental visits. In 2006, Aspen dentists received more than 700,000 patient visits, including visits from about 100,000 new patients and 25,000 denture patients. In 2007, Aspen anticipates more than one million patient visits.
Contact:
Mark Frank
315-454-6000 ext. 244
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