During National Dental Hygiene Month it makes sense to learn as much as you can about potential dental problems your senior could be facing. Talk to her dentist about helping to keep her mouth as healthy as possible.
Dry Mouth
Medications can cause dry mouth, but so can aging. Your elderly family member might find that her salivary glands don’t work the same way that they did when she was younger. Talk to her doctor about how much water is right for your senior to drink. From there, she can set a goal to increase her water intake. Elderly care providers can remind her to sip water throughout the day.
Tooth Loss and Decay
Losing teeth and having teeth decaying is not fun for anyone, but it can be particularly troubling for your aging adult. Decaying teeth can become infected, which brings a host of other problems with the infection. If you suspect that your senior is dealing with infection, she needs to visit her dentist as soon as possible.
Changing Sense of Taste
Many aging adults experience changes to their sense of taste. Part of this can be brought about by simply growing older, but there can be more to it. She may be taking medications that affect how foods and drinks taste. It’s also possible for some illnesses to affect her sense of taste. This can mean that what your senior is willing to eat can change.
Poor-fitting Dentures
It’s a common misconception that once someone has dentures, they no longer need dental care. Unfortunately, what can happen is that gums change and dentures aren’t able to conform to the new configuration. Dentures can irritate your senior’s gums and mouth, especially if they’re not properly fitted. Regular dental visits can help avoid these problems.
Gum Disease
Gum disease is extremely common for people of all ages because it’s caused by plaque and food debris that gets caught between teeth and under gums. For older adults, complications from diabetes and other illnesses can make gum disease even more dangerous. Talk to your senior’s dentist about her risk factors for gum disease and what she can do to forestall bigger problems.
Daily brushing can help with many of these issues, as can regular dental checkups. Elderly care providers can help your family member to remember to brush or help her to do so. They can also make sure she gets safely to dental appointments, which is especially important if you aren’t able to help with that personally.
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE ARE CONSIDERING ELDERLY CARE IN LAS VEGAS, NV, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT GOLDEN HEART SENIOR CARE OF SUMMERLIN. 702-800-4616.