Dental Care Tips for Seniors for Aging Gracefully

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What is the first thing that indicates you are getting older?  Well, aging is not always good for your mouth as older people suffer from gum diseases, oral cancer, tooth loss, dental decay, and mouth infections. You surely won’t smile if you suffer from any of these, especially if you are aging. However, if you take care of your teeth, it can last for a lifetime. Still, you will have those concerns and need to know how to prevent them.

Read on to learn how to look after your teeth to avert the side effects of old age:

Oral problems are one of the major side effects of old age. That is why you need to take good care of your teeth to ensure a healthy smile. Read on to know how to prevent oral problems in old age:

Brushing and flossing the teeth

With aging, brushing and flossing the teeth becomes more important than ever. Be sure to avoid toothbrushes with stiff bristles that are usually tough on the gums. For disabled people, electronic toothbrushes help in brushing their teeth. You need to hold the brush at a 45-degree angle to clean the teeth and gums without getting too aggressive on the gums. If you don’t floss your teeth regularly, let it be now or never.

Remember that about one-third of your teeth remain untouched during brushing, leaving plaque in the mouth. With regular buildup of plaque, your teeth start harboring cavities and gum diseases. Flossing your teeth at least once a day helps in scraping the teeth to remove a majority of plaque easily.

Seeing the dentist

As you age, the nerve in your teeth becomes weak, causing less sensitivity that makes it tough to detect cavities at an early age. Keeping up with your dental visits twice a year is indeed important to stay informed of the bigger problems. You need to also inform the dentist about the regular medicines that can affect your mouth in different ways.

Managing plaque

Plaque is one of the major causes of periodontal diseases. Often, gum diseases do not show up until they turn worse. Fortunately, seeing a dentist helps you spot the warning signs easily. The real cause of gum and teeth problems is plaque that builds up on the teeth and irritates the gums. When gums become infected, the teeth become more exposed to plaque. So, get proactive about treating gum diseases. Leaving them untreated can destroy the gums, ligaments, and bones, holding the teeth in place.

Use mouthwash carefully

If you are used to rinsing your mouth using mouthwash several times a day, you need to adjust your approach. While mouthwash helps in preventing plaque and cavities it can upset the pH balance of your mouth or make it dry. Overusing mouthwash needs to be avoided. Typically, you need to rinse your mouth once every day to maintain the health of your teeth.

Drink plenty of water

If you reach out for soda most of the time when you drink, stay away from it. Soda-based drinks contain added sugar and citrus fruit juices. Too many sugary drinks enhance acidity inside the mouth and harm your teeth.

Remember, it’s never too late to take care of your dental health. Consider the preventive approaches before it gets too late. Most importantly, you need to stay proactive about dental health and maintain these healthy habits to stay fit.

Theresa Perez

Theresa Perez is a seasoned writer for the health industry dedicated to providing fact-based health information. She sources concise facts from authoritative sources to ensure maximum credibility and shares guidelines to lead a healthy lifestyle.