Diseases & Conditions Archive

Teeth, gums, and the rest of the oral cavity need extra care and attention if you want them to stay healthy in your later years.

Aging isn't always pretty, and your mouth is no exception. (Ever consider why you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth?) A century ago the need for dentures in later life was almost a foregone conclusion. Today, three-quarters of people over 65 retain at least some of their natural teeth, but older people still suffer higher rates of gum disease, dental decay, oral cancer, mouth infections, and tooth loss. While these problems are nothing to smile about, you can still do a lot to keep your mouth looking and feeling younger than its years.

Swift action is needed to short-circuit potentially deadly symptoms.

Sarah Lyman had no reason to worry when her husband John left the house for a jog after lunch: he looked his usual healthy self. Twenty minutes later, she got word that he had collapsed by the side of the road — fighting for breath. At the hospital, she learned that the cause was anaphylaxis (also called anaphylactic shock or allergic shock), likely brought on by the lobster salad they'd eaten for lunch. Fortunately, John was treated in time and survived. That he was allergic to shellfish was news to him.