The impact of systemic conditions and polypharmacy on older patients’ oral health and dental treatment

Systemic diseases can affect people of any age, but they are much more common in the elderly population and are likely to become an increasingly prevalent issue as a progressively larger proportion of the population is aged over 65 years. The effects of systemic diseases and their pharmacological management can have a multitude of oral presentations and impact on dentists’ ability to manage these patients’ oral health needs. This article discusses the effects of systemic diseases on the oral health of the elderly population, and how the general dentist can manage this patient cohort.