Seniors face special challenges when it comes to caring for their teeth and oral health. After decades of dental work and regular wear-and-tear, they may have more issues than they did as younger adults. Keeping up with oral care in the golden years is important for appearance, health, and quality of life. Here’s what to know about oral care for older adults.
Visit the dentist
Going to the dentist at all stages of life is important, but seniors should be extra mindful of keeping up with scheduled visits to address any problems. The dentist can look for issues that are common in patients, such as receding gums and problems with old fillings. Some dentists may recommend special fluoride treatments for seniors, such as high-fluoride toothpaste, a daily fluoride prescription, or a fluoride varnish, to strengthen teeth even more and protect against decay.
Keep up good habits
Brushing and flossing are just as important in this stage of life. Dentures may seem inevitable after a certain age, but they’re not. Many seniors keep all their teeth because of consistent oral care. If appearance and the possibility of eating only soft foods isn’t enough motivation to brush and floss daily, perhaps this is: some research links tooth loss to a loss of 10 years of life. That’s why keeping natural teeth strong and healthy matters.
Make brushing easier
As we age, we tend to lose dexterity. This is especially true for people with arthritis or other joint issues. For them, switching from a manual to an electric toothbrush can make a big difference by making brushing easier to do for the recommended full two minutes, twice a day.
Take care of dentures
It’s important to keep dentures clean because dirty dentures with bacteria build-up can cause bad breath, gum disease, and mouth sores. Dentures should be kept moist when not wearing them to stop them from drying out and to help them keep their shape. Dentures should be cleaned daily with a denture-cleaning paste (not regular toothpaste, as that can harm the dentures) or tablet, and take them to the dentist if they require adjustment or replacement. One other item to keep in mind: denture wearers should see a dentist annually for an oral cancer screening.
Avoid dry mouth
Dry mouth is a problem because it can lead to increased tooth decay. That’s because saliva works to fight tooth decay in two ways. It washes away food particles and sugars from the surface of the teeth so they can’t stick there and develop into plaque. It also helps remineralize the enamel layer through the calcium and phosphate that’s in saliva.
Dry mouth is common in seniors for a number of reasons, including the fact that dry mouth is the side effect of many medications. The solution is simple, though: drink water regularly throughout the day and keep the mouth moist.
Lifelong smiles
People tend to spend a great deal of time planning for their retirement but no time at all thinking about how to keep their smile. Oral care for older adults isn’t difficult, it just takes some time and a continuation of good habits. Done right, it can mean living through the golden years with a mouth full of natural, pearly whites.