Thinner and less elastic oral mucosa, teeth gradually darkening with colour, skin has less underlying fat and elasticity. These are all signs of what?

• A. Cavities
• B. Gingival recession
• C. Ageing
• D. Tooth sensitivity

Answer: (C)

Ageing explains a pattern of changes seen across the mouth and skin. As we get older, the oral mucosa tends to become thinner and less elastic because the connective tissues and blood supply undergo ageing-related changes. Teeth can gradually darken because dentin becomes more translucent and staining can accumulate over time, so the overall colour appears deeper. At the same time, the skin loses subcutaneous fat and elasticity due to changes in collagen and elastin. Put together, these signs point to ageing rather than a specific dental disease. Cavities involve decay of tooth structure and don’t account for mucosal thinning and skin changes; gingival recession concerns the gum margin and may accompany ageing but doesn’t explain the full pattern; tooth sensitivity involves pain to stimuli rather than a general colour or mucosal/skin change.