Introduction
It is true that people of average age are having more teeth problems as they age. However, teeth issues can be prevented by regular and consistent dental care. Senior dental care tips include taking good care of the teeth, avoiding habitual and bad habits such as smoking and drinking too much alcohol and going for regular checkups.
The best part is that senior dental care solutions are not just limited to your dentist’s office; you can also use internet resources to find out how to keep your teeth in tip top condition. With a little bit of research, you’ll be able to save money on your next trip to the dentist’s office by not having unnecessary treatment performed on those complicated tooth problems.
Seniors can benefit greatly from regular dental maintenance. This is not just for cosmetic reasons but to help prevent more serious problems with the teeth, bones, and gums. Regular dentistry includes dental check-ups, cleanings, fluoride treatments, and X-rays if needed.
Tips for Seniors
Beyond these regular practices there are some extra precautions for seniors that can be helpful in preventing tooth decay and gum disease. Proximity to the teeth matters more than it did when you were younger because gaps between teeth provide a site where bacteria can collect food particles that get stuck there. Brush your tongue before every meal to remove bacteria from it too since this is a common place they will gather if not cleaned off regularly.
Senior Dental Care Tips, Dental Savings
1. Brush and floss well twice a day.
2. Eat a healthy diet to help prevent dental problems.
3. Don’t smoke, and don’t drink or chew tobacco.
4. Avoid sugary foods, especially those high in fructose or sorbitol which are easier for bacteria to break down into acids (which can then affect your teeth).
5. Limit intake of acid-producing foods (such as red meat) consumed at night.
6. Get regular dental checkups, including an oral cancer examination if you are at risk for this disease.
7. Avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks.
8. Limit the amount of time you spend in between meals.
9. Get dental sealants to help protect tooth enamel, especially around the gum line where bacteria can work their way in easily.
10 . X-rays after age 50 should be used sparingly as a possible precursor to Alzheimer’s disease.
11. For maximum protection, use fluoride treatments twice a year in the form of topical gels, mouth rinse tablets or toothpaste.
12. Avoid tooth-colored fillings—they contain mercury, which is a neurotoxin.
13. When you go to the dentist, state firmly that you want a composite filling.
14. Watch out for zinc “amalgams”—these are silver colored and are used by many dentists for fillings.
15. For tooth pain that can’t be treated at home, don’t self-medicate with over-the-counter drugs—go to the dentist!
16. Since it takes an hour for most antibiotics to start working, dental antibiotic treatments aren’t very practical.
17. Avoid dental x-rays, especially if you are over age 50.
18. Don’t neglect your gums. If they bleed easily, speak to your dentist about having them refilled or even removed so that no decay can develop.
19. Test your gums and tongue with a home salivary test kit from the pharmacy that costs around ten dollars to determine if you have plaque build-up on the surface of your teeth and gums (this is the main cause of gum disease).
20. Make sure all vaccines are up to date for seniors: flu shots, pneumococcal vaccines, tetanus shots and more—all these help prevent most germs from entering your body.
21. Get your prescriptions as early as possible so you don’t need emergency dental care that is expensive and inconvenient.
22. Visit a dentist right away if you have tooth pain or loose teeth, which could be a sign of osteomyelitis—a bone infection in the jaw that can be caused by dental work and must be treated promptly by an oral surgeon or infectious disease doctor.
23. Have your dentist check out temporomandibular joint problems because they can lead to tooth pain, headaches, and facial or jaw disfigurements (they often occur after age 50).
24. If you are a smoker or drink regularly, have an oral cancer screening every six months to a year.
25. Don’t chew on ice cubes—this can harm your teeth and mouth.
26. If you haven’t been in for a dental check-up in over a year, make an appointment today to correct this lapse and get up to date on your oral health care needs!
27. Use pumpkin or other natural foods that provide buffering agents to help with symptoms of acid erosion from biting on hard foods (like potato chips, ice, etc.).
28. Try not to use hard toothbrushes since they can harm your gum support and make the problem worse!
29. When you are washing your mouth out with warm salt water, rinse at least three times to help soften any deposits on the teeth and gums.
30. Use a silver tip for flossing—it cleans better where the tooth meets the gum than a traditional floss that is made from nylon.
31. Ask to be referred by your dentist to an endodontist if you need root canal therapy to treat tooth pain.
32. For extreme health, use baking soda for mouth washes and baking soda and hydrogen peroxide for brushing several times a month (use no more frequently than this or it can erode tooth enamel).
33. Brush your gums and tongue with a soft toothbrush to remove plaque (use baking soda for this if you can’t brush).
34. Use a chewable fluoride tablet at least once a week or as recommended by your dentist to prevent tooth decay.
35. Use an over-the-counter rinse that contains triclosan (like 0.3% chlorhexidine—Pro Health Mouth Rinse) to kill bacteria in the mouth several times a week.
Conclusion
Dental health care is something that is too important to ignore—you can’t live without your teeth, which makes them a priority for any senior. To know that you or someone you love is getting good dental care, ask the dentist some of the questions above (or ones specific to their practice), look through their operating procedures and check them out thoroughly so you can be satisfied with how they operate.
If you follow these tips for seniors and use a good toothpaste, mouthwash, and other oral hygiene products, you are likely to keep your teeth and gums healthy for many more years. Stop by to read the senior dental care tips above each day that you can implement into your daily routine.