Good oral health is one of the keys to healthy aging, but a sobering new study shows that many U.S. nursing home residents have significant dental issues. Professor and Chair of the Department of Community Dentistry and Population Health Bruce Dye, DDS, MPH, wrote an editorial accompanying the JAMA Network Open study.
“We know oral health is associated with many chronic diseases, and with more seniors living longer with more chronic diseases, having poor oral health reduces the likelihood of many of them enjoying optimal health and well-being,” Dye said.