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.
Learn About Prosthodontics
Dentures are replacement teeth that can be removed. Many people who are missing one tooth, several teeth or all their teeth benefit greatly from false teeth.
Prosthodontics improve your chewing and speech, and support your facial muscles. They make a big difference in your appearance and your smile, and can boost your self-confidence.
Made from acrylic resin, most dentures are very natural-looking and can be matched in color and appearance to your other teeth. Several visits to a denturist are usually required over the course of a month to take the impressions and make sure your false teeth fit right. These multiple appointments with a prosthodontist are necessary for receiving all the benefits you'll gain from them -- your increased ability to chew, a great-looking smile, and confidence when speaking.
Complete Dentures
A complete denture is for people who have no teeth in their lower jaw or upper jaw, or both jaws. In addition to the other suggestions for denture care listed below, complete dentures should be removed and cleaned two or three times daily to keep your gums healthy and to allow your tissues to relax.
Partial Dentures
Partial dentures are for people who have some natural teeth remaining, or who only need to replace a few teeth. The benefits are the same as for full denture wearers: your facial muscles will be supported, your smile improved and your ability to chew and speak will be enhanced.
Immediate Dentures
If a tooth is damaged and cannot be restored, you and your dentist may decide to create temporary dentures. That way, the dentist can pull your tooth and you can wear the temporary denture until a permanent solution is designed for you.
This temporary solution allows you to continue with your professional and social commitments without showing a gap in your smile. Sometimes an immediate denture is used to replace a number of hopeless teeth at one time. Generally, the prosthodontics will require relining, rebasing, or being completely remade three to six months later.
Getting Used to Your False Teeth
Even dentures that fit beautifully require an adjustment time. At first, you may experience minor speech changes and some eating difficulties. You may also notice an increased flow of saliva during this period.
While you're getting used to your replacement teeth, you may want to keep high-profile events to a minimum and give yourself time to adjust. You may also want to start with soft food that is easy to chew, while your comfort level increases.
Some prosthodontics wearers notice a slight change in their facial appearance. Knowing what to expect helps to anticipate normal adjustments for denture wearers and to effectively manage them.
While the dentist may advise you to wear your false teeth initially at night, normally you will remove your dentures while you sleep. Taking a break for eight hours gives your tongue and saliva a chance to do its natural job of cleaning and stimulating your gums.
Caring for Your Dentures
- Handle with care.
- Remove and brush daily.
- Use a brush and cleansers designed for dentures.
- Don't use abrasive cleaners or abrasive toothpastes, which will leave scratches.
- Don't sterilize them in boiling water or in the dishwasher -- the hot water will warp them.
- If you wear a partial denture, remove it before you brush your natural teeth and clean it carefully with a brush and cleanser.
- When the false teeth are not in your mouth, soak them in a glass of water or cleanser. Dry dentures can become brittle and crack or break.
- Keep your dentures in the same place and away from children and pets -- keep them safe and reduce the chances of losing or misplacing them.
- Have your mouth and the dentures checked at least once yearly by your denturist.
by Brian J. Gray, D.D.S., M.A.G.D., F.I.C.O.
+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.