The Beginning of a Sincere Heart

If you get winded climbing the stairs or walking up a hill more than you used to, the usual explanation is, "That's just getting older." And it is true that the lungs age along with us. But not all breathlessness is simply age — and from the outside, there is no way to tell the difference. The lungs change as we age The lungs slowly lose their elasticity, so the force that pushes air out weakens, and the muscles used for breathing grow weaker too. The immune system also declines, making it easier for a simple cold to turn into bronchitis or pneumonia. So being somewhat more short of breath than in your younger years is natural. The trouble is that illness often hides behind that natural change. A leading example is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease — COPD — in which the airways narrow and the air sacs are damaged, making it hard to breathe out. Seven in 10 people with COPD don't know they have it Taken together, studies suggest that about 70% of COPD worldw...

As we age, a simple cold can turn into pneumonia more easily. Surprisingly, some studies suggest pneumonia can begin in the mouth. When bacteria from the mouth slip into the airway — while sleeping or swallowing — they can inflame the lungs. This is called aspiration pneumonia. Oral care changes after sixty Gums recede and tooth roots become exposed. Roots have no enamel coating, so cavities form quickly there. Many medications reduce saliva, weakening the natural shield that holds mouth bacteria in check. And brushing itself gets harder when hands lose strength and joints ache. Professional oral care lowered pneumonia deaths In a Japanese study, 141 nursing home residents were followed for two years. The group receiving weekly professional oral care from dental hygienists had significantly fewer fevers and significantly fewer deaths from aspiration pneumonia than the group without it. (Adachi et al., 2002) In another study, residents whose caregivers helped them brush after eve...