Common Dental Care Problems And Dental Care Tips For Seniors

Old age may not be the only reason for determining the health of your teeth. If you are a senior and are suffering from specific medical conditions like arthritis in your fingers or hands, you may find it tough to floss or brush your teeth. You may be taking certain drugs and that may also impact your dental health adversely.

As people grow older, they are exposed to a higher number of risks that are related to oral health. Some of them are as follows:

Sense of taste is reduced - As one ages, the sense of taste starts getting impaired. Conditions such as dentures, medications and diseases may also lead to loss of appetite.

Darker teeth - A senior’s teeth may get darkened due to changes that take place in dentin to some extent. Dentine is a bone-like tissue near the enamel of the tooth. Teeth can also get darkened due to over-consumption of beverages and other stain-causing food items. Darkened teeth may also be the result of the reduction of your enamel layer that shows the yellowish dentin.

Decay of roots - Root decay is caused when the root of a tooth gets continuously exposed to acids that cause decay. The roots slowly start getting exposed as the tissues in the gum start decreasing from the affected tooth. There is no enamel on the root for their protection. So they are much more susceptible to damage than the tooth’s crown.

Tooth loss - If an elder person is suffering from gum disease, it can lead to loss of tooth.

Gum disease - Disease in the gum can be caused due to plaque. They can get even worse due to left-over food in teeth, poor diets, dentures, ill-fitted bridges, and other diseases like diabetes, cancer and anemia. It is a big concern for the elderly people.

Senior Dental Care Tips

Senior people must ensure that they brush and floss their natural teeth daily to maintain good oral health. Formation of plaque can happen very fast particularly when senior adults neglect their oral hygiene. Such negligence may further result in gum disease and tooth decay. In order to maintain good oral and dental health, it is crucial for all irrespective of their age to take the following oral care: