Tips if You Help Care for a Senior’s Teeth

There are many health risks for seniors that relate to their teeth and gums and if you are caring for a senior that is over 55 here are some good tips to help.

To maintain oral health is for the most part, fairly simple, but you must clean the teeth regularly to prevent such things as tooth decay and other complications. It is essential when caring for older adults and seniors that you do or at help them with the following tasks.

Brushing

Brush their natural teeth at least twice a day with a soft bristled toothbrush and a toothpaste that has been approved by us or the ADA. Brush in a gentle circular motion and be sure to reach the gums and tongue as well. If they are experiencing tooth sensitivity, then talk with us about which type of sensitive toothpaste should be used.

Flossing

Help them or floss for them at least once a day to remove all the food debris from their teeth and mouth. It is important to maintain a regular and consistent flossing and brushing schedule. After brushing, use a mouthwash to prevent a buildup of plaque and to help the prevention of cavities and tooth decay.

Replacing Their Toothbrush

It is important to replace the senior’s toothbrush every 3-4 months to ensure that your brushes bristles are always soft and in good shape. This is a good practice for everyone.

Watching Their Diet

Try to limit their intake of foods and drinks that contain a lot of sugar, which causes cavities and try to increase their calcium intake. This will help to maintain and continue to contribute to healthy teeth and gums, and you can find sources of calcium for them in many dairy products as well as brown rice and salmon. Be sure they drink a lot of water throughout the day to ensure they don’t get or to relieve dry mouth and if that doesn’t work, please talk with their physician about medication as it could be caused by some prescription drugs.

Increase their visits to our office for basic oral exams. Increased visits will help ensure that any potential problems will be spotted early and then some options for treatment explored. If you have concerns about a senior’s oral health care or you need to schedule a checkup for them, please call the office and we will get an appointment set up for them and for you to be able to bring them.

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