Senior Dental Care
Treatment Considerations
Dental care for seniors involves unique considerations. Seniors are more likely to suffer from a host of oral health issues resulting from the natural aging process, their inability to receive proper oral health care due to financial constraints (no dental insurance), or their inability to provide adequate dental hygiene care for themselves. These factors, combined with the limited dental benefits provided by state aid programs for the aged, blind or disabled, leave many seniors at risk of ignoring tooth decay and tooth infection until there is no alternative but tooth extraction
Dental Hygiene for Seniors
- Look into special toothbrushes to clean hard-to-reach areas of the mouth.
- Know the warning signs that indicate your mouth, teeth or gums may be in jeopardy,
- Tooth Sensitivity,
- Teeth Grinding,
- Pain
- Mouth Sores
- Bumps
- Swelling
- Visit your dentist as often as he or she recommends for regular dental hygiene checkups.
- Maintain dental appliances such as dentures and dental bridges properly.
- Consider seeing your dentist before and after surgery.
- Tell your dentist about any medications that you are taking or changes to medication.
- Loose Teeth
- Jaw Popping
- Clicking
- Difficulty quenching thirst
- Swallowing
- Chewing (dry mouth syndrome).
