Senior Dental Care

Senior dental care that includes consistent, regular brushing and flossing is the number one way to prevent tooth decay and loss. The overall condition of a person’s health is related to their oral health; the mouth is the gateway for the nutrition need by the internal organs to sustain life. However, oral health is affected by not only the foods and beverages that are consumed but also the intake of dietary supplements, prescription drugs, alcohol or tobacco. Individuals in the 60-70 years of age group may not be aware of the many developments geared to increasing the efficiency of their daily routine of brushing their teeth. And for this reason may need to see a dentist more frequently for professional cleaning.
In the past 20 years the advancements in dentistry have improved the methods of dental care and today there are many ways to prevent seniors from losing teeth or replacement options that prevent the teeth from becoming misaligned. Even in the cases where teeth have been missing for years, resulting in jaw problems, the restorative techniques of today are more than able to bring back a beautiful smile.

Many seniors have this condition which makes their teeth harder to clean and floss. This makes them more susceptible to gum disease and other health problems if the teeth are unable to prepare the food for digestion. For seniors who take prescription medicine, should ask their dentist about how the drugs will affect their teeth. Certain drugs impact the body’s ability to repair or absorb calcium; both of these factors are important to oral health. No matter whether you have just started or have been taking the medicine for a period of time, it is possible that a seniors dietary needs will need to be increased to maintain their optimum health.

Cavities and gum disease are the two most common reasons for tooth loss in seniors. Cavities occur in seniors most often because food gets caught along the edges of a dental filling that may be broken or jagged. Tooth fillings wear down after time and many need to be replaced.
Old habits are difficult to break and unfortunately many seniors grind their teeth during sleep or still brush their teeth with hard bristle brushes which can damage the enamel. There are many senior dental care products that have been developed to help make oral hygiene tasks easier for individuals with physical conditions such as arthritis or limited range of movement.

In general, the senior citizens of today are much more health conscious than the preceding generation. The dental care techniques such as laser treatments have enabled many seniors to overcome their fear of dentistry because it is pain-free and requires less recovery time for even the most complicated procedures. Dental implants have replaced dentures for many seniors allowing them to be more confident in their conversations and in social settings. Battery powered toothbrushes, dental floss with an extended handle and the introduction of at-home teeth whitening kits make it easy for seniors to take good care of their teeth.