Oral Health issues Seniors Face

As you get older, there are other oral health concerns that you should worry about.  Here, we’ll talk about the top health concerns that seniors have in terms of their oral health.

First is dry mouth. Or xerostomia, which is when you don’t have enough saliva in your mouth. When there isn’t enough, you may feel discomfort, to even major issues with cavities. it’s caused by medications that seniors take, and 90 percent over the age of 65 suffer from this, especially since infections, hormone changes, blocked nasal passages, and allergies happen too.

Then there is bad breath. This tends to happen a lot more since dry mouth occurs.  Bad dental hygiene is usually the cause, so you should brush twice daily and floss once a day, and make sure that you see a dentist. If you have dentures, make sure that you clean them. ‘

Tooth loss is the next one.  Patients over the age of 65 tend to only have 18.9 teeth on average remaining, with 27% having no remaining teeth. Bad oral hygiene and smoking are the most major reasons, and if you do lose them, see a dentist immediately to explore the options that will allow you to eat, talk, or even smile in a comfortable manner, including tooth implants. Cavities are the next.  Over time, it’s easier, so seniors are at a higher risk.  Foods high in sugar increase the chances, but limiting sugary foods and drinks, brushing, flossing and using a mouth rinse can prevent this as well.

Another common one is poor denture care. There is a myth that dentures are n’t as delicate as your regular teeth, so you don’t’ have to take care of them. But, dentures require just as much, if not more attention, and you should brush them in a regular manner to avoid discoloration and damage. Plaque can build up on dentures as other tooth places too, and it can irritate the gums, and lead to gum disses too. So, make sure that you remove the dentures after every meal and rinse them to eliminate food particles, and make sure to brush the dentures in the evening and let them sit in the cleaning solution, and brushing them with a soft-bristled brush will help keep them nice and healthy, along with being clean.

Then there is gum disease, the last major one. This is super common with older people, and while it can take years to develop, older people tend to experience this more than the younger ones do. The best way to prevent it is to practice good oral hygiene and visit the dentist on the regular so that you don’t have it develop into periodontitis.  Many people have to see a dentist, and about a quarter of people see them once every 2 years, and about 16% haven’t seen one in five years. don’t overlook this since you should know how important your dental care is, ad to take care of it.