Absolutely not! Older people are at significant risk of tooth decay, for a number of reasons:

• they consume more sugary foods (sweetness is the taste that lasts longest as we get older).
• older people, particularly women, have a reduced flow of saliva (from the age of 50). As a result, the mouth is dryer, food particles remain in the mouth for longer and bacteria proliferate.
• saliva becomes more acidic as we get older, which is conducive to acid attacks and mouth infections.
• the bacterial flora that protects the mouth tends to diminish with age, giving free rein to the bacteria in dental plaque.
• elderly people may have difficulties brushing their teeth properly, because of problems such as osteoarthritis or muscle weakness.
• they sometimes take medicines that can make a dry mouth worse.

As a result, older people must be particularly attentive to oral hygiene.