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Dental Health and Caring for Seniors

Seniors are the fastest-growing age group in the U.S., in part because medical advances and preventive care are extending life and the quality of it. As the baby boomer generation ages, the senior population is swelling, along with their interest in maintaining healthy bodies and lifestyles. Good dental health is important to overall health and seniors must stay on top of their dental care. It is now possible to keep natural teeth and good dental hygiene plays a vital role.

Dental Decay and Gum Disease

Talk to your dentist about the proper care of your teeth and dental health. Brushing twice a day and flossing regularly are the most important steps you can take to keep your teeth and gums healthy. If age is causing your gums to recede, clean your teeth thoroughly, but be careful not to irritate or tear the gums. A receding gum line may also expose sensitive portions of teeth; careful brushing is important, as are toothpastes that offer sensitivity protection. If you have difficulty using a toothbrush or floss because arthritis or a stroke has impaired your agility, ask your dentist to recommend commercial products that will make the tasks easier. Bleeding or sensitive gums, constant bad breath, receding gums, and loose teeth are all symptoms of gum disease, which can hasten tooth loss. If you spot these symptoms, talk with your dentist about them before they cause pain and deterioration.

Watch Your Mouth!

After a lifetime of chewing and biting, many seniors have dentures, bridges, crowns, and, of course, their fair share of fillings. Over time, even the best dental hardware can wear out. If you feel changes in your mouth, particularly when you are eating, brushing, or flossing, bring them to your dentist's attention. You may take medications or have a medical condition that results in dry mouth. Saliva production is important to good dental health: it keeps the mouth moist, washes away food particles, and protects against decay from plaque. Enlist the help of your dentist, and ask about artificial saliva products.

Maintaining Your Investment In Dentistry

Don't stop caring for your teeth and mouth at this stage of the game! Keeping your teeth healthy means greater comfort and enjoyment as you eat, laugh, and speak. Good preventive care will give you something to really smile about and help to maintain your dental health!

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

Mini Dental Implants and Denture Stabilization

Denture implants are a great solution for patients whose dentures just don't quite stay put.

Also known as mini dental implants, they are slender titanium screws that a dental implant dentist or prosthodontist attaches to your jawbone in a simple surgical procedure. Just 2-4 mini implants attached to your lower jaw can ensure that your denture never wanders again.

Mini implants are considerably smaller than standard tooth implants, so the dental implant surgery is less invasive, takes less time, and heals faster. In addition, denture implants cost less.

Denture patients will often be given a provisional denture to immediately wear over their implants. Once the implants have healed, a permanent denture can be fabricated, or the patient's existing denture can be retrofitted to accommodate the denture implants. The removable denture will snap on to the implants to provide added support, stability and retention.

Many a denture dentist loves being able to offer dental implant therapy. "I have done around 20 cases using mini implants under lower dentures," said one dentist. "I feel this is one of the best things I have done for my patients and my practice."

Agreed another, "In the correct situation and understanding how to use them, they are a wonderful long-term solution."

As with regular dental implant surgery, the dentist will need to take X-rays an possibly bone scans to make sure there is enough bone to support the implants. Since the cost of dental therapy is significant, there's no sense placing implants that are likely to fail.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.