Turkish Journal of
GERIATRICS

Hacettepe Üniversitesi Diş Hekimliği Fakültesi Protetik Diş Tedavisi Anabilim Dalı, Öğr.Üyesi, Ankara
Hacettepe Üniversitesi Diş Hekimliği Fakültesi Protetik Diş Tedavisi Anabilim Dalı, Öğr.Gör., Ankara The parts of the chewing system; teeth, periodontal tissues, mouth mucosa, salivary glands, noromusculer system and jaw bones go through natural physiological changes through life by age. These changes play an important role at intraoral treatment plans. These natural results of aging can become more significant with the presence of sistemic diseases and become a real problem for these kind of patients. The ulcered lesions of the mouth mucosa or the problems of a nonretantive prosthesis because of the decreased inflow of the saliva at a diabetic patient can be given as an example to these problems. The intraoral symptoms of the sistemic diseases can sometimes help either to diagnose the diseases at an early stage or can help the distinguished diagnosis of them. It is important that a medical doctor or a dentist to be aware of the intraoral symptoms of the systemic diseases, to be able to diagnose them and either to treat them or to refer the patients to the other centers according to their diagnosis. The intraoral symptoms of the endocrinal and the metabolic diseases frequently seen at the mouth and the cheek mucosa as well as tongue. It can be seen as well bordered, ulcered or nonulcered red lesions. Dryness, malodor of the mouth and the protetic problems because of the decrease of the amount of saliva are also he frequent seen symptoms of these diseases. Even most likely the intraoral symptoms can be resolved with the treatment of the systemic diseases, it is still sometimes necessary to treat specially the intraoral lesions like Candida albicans or periodontal lesions at diabetic patients. Keywords : Elderly, Systemic disease, Geriatric dentistry, Denture stomatitis, Oral hygiene