How can seniors maintain good dental health?
Answers
Floss and Brush daily
Brushing your teeth helps you evade many general dental problems. It’s recommended to use either dental floss or another kind of dental cleaner to floss and clean your teeth. Remember to brush your teeth at least two times a day (for instance, in the morning and the evening). To ensure a thorough brushing process, keep brushing your teeth for at least two whole minutes. A great option would be getting an electric toothbrush, but if you don’t want that, make sure that your toothbrush’s head isn’t too rough on your teeth and gum.
Avoid Using Tobacco
If you want to reduce the risk of dental problems and oral cancer, it’s necessary to stay away from all sorts of tobacco products. Using tobacco increases the risk of throat and oral cancer. It also increases the possibility of gum infection and rotten teeth. People who use chewing tobacco should know that in doing so, they accelerate the tooth decay process. The reason is that tobacco’s sugar acts as a catalyst for tooth rot.
Use Fluoride
Applying fluoride to one’s teeth is advised for both children and the elderly’s tooth and oral cleanliness. Make use of fluoride in your regular oral care by putting fluoride toothpaste on your brush. Tap water usually contains fluoride, so it’s a good idea to drink tap water as much as you can, which brings us to our next suggestion.
Stay Orally Hydrated
Suppose one of your regular medicines causes your mouth to become overly dry. In that case, it is advised to speak with your doctor and see whether replacing this medicine with another one that doesn’t have this kind of side effect is possible or not. If you have to keep using the medication mentioned above, it’s required to drink as much water as possible and avoid consuming alcohol since it can cause dehydration. Chewing zero-sugar gum can be of help as well.
Use a Mouthwash with Antibacterial Properties
Aside from flossing and brushing daily, it’s good to use a mouthwash that has antibacterial properties in it so that the dental plaque development in your mouth is minimized.
Listen to What Your Dentist Has to Say
Your dentist only has one goal: Getting rid of the dental problems you already have and averting the ones that can occur in the future. So if you want to take care of your oral health, it’s necessary to listen to your dentist and do as they say. The elderly must keep in touch with their dentists and find a plan that deals with their dental concerns as they occur and prevents potential forthcoming problems.
Examine Your Teeth Frequently
People usually tend to ignore this last and decisive step. It’s very recommended that adults pay their dentist a visit for an examination and a cleaning at least twice a year and even more often if there are any ongoing dental problems. Frequent appointments help your dentist prevent future dental issues and identify existing ones before they get more serious.