Basic Dental Care for Senior Citizens

You can improve your dental hygiene by practicing a few basic techniques, including:

· Brushing and flossing – It’s best to use a medium soft brush and paste.  If you can’t appropriately grip a toothbrush because of arthritis or other joint problems, you can purchase a rubber strap that helps you secure a better grip.  Be sure to brush your teeth, tongue, and gums thoroughly after every meal.  Flossing every day gets rid of debris that toothbrushes can’t reach and is essential to good dental hygiene.

· Rinse – As the flow of saliva is reduced, it’s more likely that food particles will damage your teeth and gums. Rinsing gets rid of the particles. Since some mouth washes are irritating to the gums, dilute it if necessary.

· Gauze wipes – If it’s difficult for you to brush or rinse, try wiping your teeth with gauze – this will help remove some of the debris found around the teeth and gums.

· Electric tooth brushes and irrigators – Electric tooth brushes are a boon to senior citizens.  They’re easier to handle and very effective in cleaning teeth.  Irrigators remove debris from teeth that toothbrushes miss, but can damage gums if it pushes food particles into gum pockets.

· Glycerine – A flavored lubricant that can stop irritation of the gums.  It can also help stimulate saliva production.

A plan for better oral dental hygiene can reduce your risk for tooth decay and gum disease. If you have dentures, talk with your dentist about the difference in promoting good oral hygiene.  Dentures are like your real teeth in that they can cause problems with gums if they aren’t properly taken care of.

Do your research on good dental hygiene and develop daily techniques that will ensure your dental health as you age.  Your dentist can also help you develop a plan.

Make sure to keep all your dentist appointments so your dentist can help you stay up-to-date with your dental care.

Source: http://seniorhealthtips101.com/