Envelhecimento e saúde bucal

Older people represent growing percentage of the population around the world. As the population ages, the demand rises for health professionals that know the particularities of aging and of the care of aged people. It is not different for the dentists or dentistry itself. There are many physiological changes in mouth and maxillofacial tissues that are related to the aging. Further, many oral diseases and pathological conditions are common among these people. The objective of this paper is to review these physiological and pathological changes related to the oral health and conditions of elderly people in order to contribute to dissemination of this information among Dental Professionals.