Maintaining your oral health is important at every stage of life. In this blog, we will talk about the importance of taking care of your teeth as you get older to prevent other medical problems with your teeth like cavities, tooth loss, and toothaches. Having good oral hygiene can make eating and drinking easier and you can enjoy your food.
If you suffer from conditions like diabetes, or heart problems or use medications that can compromise your oral health, you should take care of your teeth and gums in the proper way, to avoid any further problems. Here we will mention some important steps to follow if you want to keep your gums and teeth healthy as you get older.
The basic maintenance tips for taking care of your oral health are brushing and flossing them twice a day, every day. As we get older some dental problems like plaque and build-ups can be more difficult to be treated. Your teeth might also need a gentler approach as they have gone through the normal wear and tear process, so you may need to make some more adjustments. You should get used to these new approaches and we will offer you some advice in order to take care of your teeth in the proper way.
Electric toothbrushes may be very helpful for older adults. It will do a better job at cleaning all the teeth and some of these brushes have a set-up timer to make sure you are brushing in the right way and for the right amount of time. Some adults may suffer from illnesses that can impact the joints so having a toothbrush that will do the work on its own will be very helpful and offer the best results. If you haven’t purchased an electric toothbrush yet, you should consider doing so now.
You should consider using only toothbrushes that are soft-bristled as they will not damage your teeth and gums. Dentists recommend using this kind of brush because too much pressure or overzealous brushing can negatively impact the enamel and gums and cause more pain. You should also brush your teeth in round movements.
As you might know and heard, flossing helps remove leftover food and avoid the formation of plaque which happens quickly in older teeth. The dentists recommend flossing after every meal or at least twice a day if you can’t do so. If you don’t like flossing with regular dental floss you can consider trying a hand-held flosser as it can be easier to use. You should also consider taking a gentle approach to flossing in order to avoid damage to your gums.
If you’re used to rinsing with mouthwash several times a day, you may need to change your approach. Yes, mouthwash is a great way to prevent cavities and plaque build-up, but it can also upset the pH balance in your mouth and contribute to dry mouth.
As older adults are more likely to suffer from dry mouth, you should be careful not to overuse mouthwash. One rinse before bed is enough. And you may benefit from using an alcohol-free option.
Older adults are more prone to suffer from tooth loss so considering implants and dentures can be the best option out there, but only if it’s really necessary. You should also know that dental implants are the best choice and are far superior to removable dentures. They offer advantages in appearance and function, making it seem just like your natural teeth. They will also stabilize your jawbones and provide better chewing abilities.
If you are considering getting dentures you should know that is very important to take care of them properly with the products that will be provided by your dentist. It is also healthy to remove them from time to time and remove them for a few hours a day preferably during the night time when you are sleeping.
If you suffer from other medical conditions that need to be controlled by medication, you should know that they can impact your oral health and cause dry mouth. This condition can cause more than just discomfort and it can be dangerous for your dental health. It needs to be treated in time in order to avoid plaque, tooth decay, and gum disease. If you start taking a new medication consult with your dentist if you start to see any changes to find a solution to prevent further damage.
Diabetes is very common and most people diagnosed with it are more prone to gum disease. Older people are more prone to suffer from diabetes, so they should be more careful with their oral health. Dentists also suggest that treating gum disease can help improve your blood glucose levels and slow the progression of your diabetes. Developing a strong and honest relationship with your dentist by making regular dental appointments is important for keeping your smile healthy and managing and preventing diabetes side effects on the teeth.
When you are thirsty, do your best to avoid drinks that are high in sugar. Traditional sodas and some fruit juices can be loaded with sugar so you should do your best to avoid them. Damage in your tooth enamel, cavities, and tooth loss can be caused by drinking too many sugary drinks by increasing the acidity in your mouth. The best choice for your overall health and oral one is drinking as much water as possible. Water helps to rinse out and dilute acids in your mouth and is a natural deterrent to dry mouth.
As you get older, you are automatically at a higher risk for developing oral cancer. Every change you start to notice in your mouth, lip, or throat area is important to get checked out.
You should see a doctor or dentist if any of these symptoms persist for a period of more than 2 weeks:
Dry mouth is a condition that means that your mouth doesn’t produce enough saliva to keep your mouth healthy. This condition can make it hard to eat, swallow, or talk and it can also lead to tooth decay or infection.
It can also be a side effect of some medicines used in treating certain health problems such as diabetes or if you’re treating cancer with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. If you think you are developing a dry mouth, talk to your doctor or dentist about what steps to take.
To maintain your general health you should consider maintaining a balanced diet, rich in protein and nutrients. It will not only help you be healthy, but it also help you keep your bones and teeth strong. As we know, in our mouth we have healthy and unhealthy bacteria and we need to have them balanced to maintain optimal oral health. You should also try and include fermented foods like yogurt, cheese, and butter as they will help in eliminating the bad bacteria.
As your immune system tends to drop with age you should try and protect yourself as much as possible from different infections and illnesses that can affect your dental health. Try consuming foods that contain vitamin D, coconut oil, garlic, spirulina, and a lot of greens. You should also try to be as active as possible, in order to strengthen your immunity system. Take care of your general and dental health by eating and exercising regularly.
Tobacco use causes a lot of damage to your overall health and teeth. The worst-case scenario is that if you smoke regularly you can develop oral cancer. Either you smoke or chew it the risk is still high. Next to the tongue, the lip is where oral cavity cancer occurs most frequently. Men are far more likely than women to get lip cancer tumors, which typically develop on the lower lip. Oral cancer is not easily detected because the signs of it are easily missed.
If you notice that the signs that we mentioned earlier have persisted for more than two weeks, you should immediately contact a doctor who specializes in these cases and if you can’t do so set up a visit with a dentist. The patches can either be on the lower part of your mouth, your tongue, or your lip. Other conditions like yeast infection and herpes are also more common in adults. Sores and inflammation around the mouth area can cause pain and difficulty in doing normal activities like swallowing, eating, etc. It is important to check with your doctor to diagnose and prevent any possible problem at the right time and with the right approach.
All our body functions are connected with each other including the mouth, and as we age we are more prone to get sicker quicker and develop more health conditions, like diabetes, respiratory issues, and heart diseases. Even if you use medicine to treat these conditions, your oral health can be influenced. Bacteria from the mouth can also travel to different organs causing other health issues, so early detection is crucial.
Diabetes is a condition that affects a lot of people all over the world and it can affect all of the body functions. Uncontrolled blood sugar over time weakens the gum’s blood vessels, making them more prone to infection and speeding up the progression of periodontal disease. Additionally, greater oral fluid sugar means more sugar for bacteria to feed on when blood sugar levels are high. On the other hand, inflammation brought on by an oral infection may make the body more resistant to insulin, making it more difficult to control blood sugar levels.
Maintaining oral health at home is important and in addition to it, you should also schedule regular dentist appointments to make sure everything is right. Some dental issues can go undetected by you or you can misdiagnose them so a specialist’s perspective would not only be helpful but also crucial. As we age we are more prone to get sick or develop any conditions so you should keep in mind to be extra careful. It is never too late to prevent and treat your dental health. We are here to offer you our help and take care of your needs by focusing on providing top-notch, cutting-edge care to patients of all ages.
