(San Francisco, CA, Wednesday, September 30, 2020) – September is Healthy Aging Month, and part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle as we get older is maintaining oral health. Taking care of your teeth and gums can help ensure good overall health you age.

Oral health and overall health are closely linked. Being proactive about your oral health can help reduce risks for other health problems as we age.

According to the CDC, one in five people over 65 have untreated tooth decay.

Gum disease, which affects nearly 70% of adults over 65, can compromise the immune system and therefore the ability to fight off infection. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues  and cold and flu season ramp up, we need to keep our immune systems in tip-top shape!

Research has found that people with gum disease are twice as likely as others to die from a heart attack and three times as likely to have a stroke.

Regular trips to the dentist may even help you spot other health concerns early – like certain cancers or other risk factors for diabetes and heart disease.

There is a lot people can do to be proactive about their oral health, and we can offer some simple tips for taking care of your teeth and gums.

Since 1954, Delta Dental of California has offered comprehensive, high quality oral health care coverage to millions of enrollees and built the strongest network of exceptional dental providers in the country. The Delta Dental of California network includes its affiliates, Delta Dental Insurance Company, Delta Dental of Pennsylvania, Delta Dental of New York, Inc., and provides dental benefits to 36.8 million people across 15 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. All are members of the Delta Dental Plans Association, based in Oak Brook, Illinois, the not-for-profit national association of 39 independent Delta Dental member companies that collectively cover more than 78 million people nationwide.