odphp.health.gov Blog

Taking care of your teeth and gums as you get older can prevent problems like toothaches, tooth decay (cavities), and tooth loss. A healthy mouth also makes it easier for you to eat well and enjoy food. It's especially important to take care of your teeth and gums if you have a health condition like diabetes or heart disease — or if you're taking medicines that can cause oral health problems.

Physical activity can help you stay healthy and independent as you age. Being active can: Make it easier to do everyday tasks, like cleaning and grocery shopping; help ease pain and manage other health problems; and lower your risk of falls — and your risk of an injury if you do fall.

Healthy living is healthy aging. Developing and maintaining healthy aging practices throughout the lifespan contributes to greater resilience and opportunities to thrive as we age — from infancy through older adulthood.

May is Older Americans Month — a great time to highlight ways to support our nation’s growing older adult population. ODPHP offers a variety of resources to support your healthy aging work. Start by exploring Healthy People 2030’s healthy aging resources. Check out Healthy People 2030 and Older Adults for an overview of resources specific to older adults: View Healthy People 2030 objectives, use the objective search feature to find data for older adults, browse the Healthy Aging Custom List, learn about the impact of everyday factors like income and access to health care, and find evidence-based resources to support healthy aging work...