Practicing correct oral hygiene and habits remains as important for adults as it is for children. During your aging years, you may experience a number of problems with your dental health. However, your dentist or the dental care services can help you protect your oral health from the effects of getting old. While dental health may decline with age, obtaining regular dental examinations enables the dentist to quickly identify, resolve, and prevent the problem before it develops. That is why it should never underestimate the value of oral care being elderly. Aging puts older people at risk for many oral health problems, such as:
Darkening Teeth
Changes in dentin and age with the eating habit of stain causing foods and beverages can lead to discoloration of teeth. The erosion of its crust produces black, yellow dentin. If you have black teeth, it can be a sign of a very serious problem, which requires a professional dental examination. Being the caretakers for elderly in Kalyan we suggest all elders visit their dentist regularly.
Tooth decay
Bacterial plaque damages the enamel and causes cavities. One of the reasons why older adults are at greater risk of dry mouth cavities. Saliva helps protect teeth and reduce bacteria, but dry mouth is a side effect of certain drugs commonly taken by adults, such as antidepressants, asthma, and high blood pressure.
How to improve dental health in adults
There are some steps you can take to help an older loved one maintain good dental health:
Brush Twice A Day–Always recommend your loved one to daily brush twice with fluoride toothpaste. A soft, electric toothbrush can make toothpaste easier. At our old age care centre in Kalyan we ask elders to brush twice with effective toothpaste.
Use Antibacterial Mouthwash - Clean your mouth with an antiseptic mouthwash after brushing or spraying your teeth to kill harmful germs and prevent plaque formation.
Control Your Diet - Avoid eating too much sweets, soda & sports drinks, packaged food, and starchy snacks. After eating be sure to brush your teeth and rinse your mouth with water to wash away the sugar.