Dental care for those patients over the age of 65 involves unique considerations. Seniors are more likely to suffer from a host of issues resulting from the natural aging process, difficulty in receiving proper oral health care due to financial constraints (fixed income and lack of dental insurance) or their inability to provide adequate oral home care for themselves.
We know seniors are often:
-On softer diets (affecting the self-cleaning/natural food deflection action of the chewing process)
-On many medications (affecting the saliva production in the oral cavity leading to dry mouth)
-Having systemic diseases that affect the oral cavity such as diabetes and heart disease.
-Suffering from reduced manual dexterity (homecare efforts are not as effective as they once were)
-Not feeling well enough to properly take care of themselves
At the office of Guy Mangia DDS, we understand those unique problems and are willing to work with our patients to achieve positive oral health results.
Seniors are more prone to periodontal disease (gum disease) resulting from improper dental hygiene practices, poor diet, ill fitting partial dentures, diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease or a predisposition due to genetics. In many cases, the supporting bone structure for the teeth, including the jaw, may shift, which can disrupt a patient’s occlusion (bite), which can contribute to tooth decay and further periodontal disease and/or jaw pain.
Seniors are also more prone to tooth decay and tooth sensitivity due to the loss of enamel or dentin, or root deterioration caused by gum recession. Old restorations may need to be replaced, medications may need to be applied directly to the tooth surfaces, products may be prescribed for homecare, and more frequent dental visits may be necessary to help stop the progression of any present dental disease.
Seniors are more likely to suffer from various symptoms including the following: inflammation of gum tissue, dry mouth syndrome (often caused by medications), or an oral fungal disease, which may cause ulcers and whitish spots. These may all be due to changes in the immune system that occur over a lifetime and should be checked and monitored on a regular basis.
Dental Tips for you:
-Brush, floss and rinse with mouthwash properly to maintain dental hygiene.
-Use special toothbrushes recommended by your dental hygienist to clean hard-to-reach areas of your mouth. Electric toothbrushes are highly recommended.
Chew sugarless gum twice a day for 20 minutes following meals to increase saliva flow and help clean the teeth of food debris.
-Know the warning signs that indicate your mouth, teeth or gums may be in jeopardy including: tooth sensitivity, teeth grinding, pain, mouth sores, bumps, swelling, loose teeth, jaw popping or clicking, difficulty quenching thirst and/or swallowing or chewing (these could be signs of dry mouth syndrome).
-Visit us as often as your dentist or hygienist recommends for regular dental hygiene check-ups.
-Properly maintain dental appliances such as dentures and removable dental bridges.
-Consider seeing your dentist before and after general surgery.
-Tell your dentist about any medications that you are taking or changes to medication.
-People suffering from arthritis or a similar medical condition that limits manual dexterity can try using a modified electric toothbrush. We may also recommend other such innovations designed to make regular oral hygiene simple and effective.