Dental Care for Seniors
Would we be able to enjoy life without the joy of eating? During our youth, we can get away with eating and sleeping without thoroughly brushing your teeth every day. However, when this becomes a habitual habit, you will undoubtably start to get cavities. As we age, our teeth and gums will start to weaken and the probability of contracting a disease will become higher. The most common disease the elders are prone to get are dental caries, periodontal diseases (gum disease), dry mouth, bad breath and cervical abrasion. In order for us to enjoy the pleasures of being able consume and taste the food that we eat throughout the rest of our lives, we will be talking about the ways in which we can maintain the health of our teeth even until our senior years.
The proper way to brush our teeth
- Do not focus solely on obtaining that refreshed feeling
When brushing our teeth, the most common misconception is that when we brush our teeth, we need to keep brushing until we achieve that refreshed feeling. Actually, the most important factor to brushing your teeth is to focus on brushing your teeth thoroughly without damaging your gums and teeth. So instead of abrasively brushing your teeth like you would when shining your shoes, it is more effective to brush lightly and thoroughly throughout.
- Wait 30 mins after consuming carbonated beverages
A recent study found that brushing your teeth within 3 minutes after eating can cause damage to the teeth and is recommended to do so after 30 minutes. This is something even Kate and I did not know. They also state that if you brush your teeth within 20 minutes after consuming carbonated beverages, it can cause more damage than good. However, if you wait to brush your teeth 30 minutes after consumption, the saliva will help neutralize the surface of the mouth and the benefits will be incremental.
- Use Interdental Brushes
As you age, your teeth inevitably start to grow apart and the spacing between the teeth are widened. The gaps between your teeth will cause food to get stuck and start to cause cavities. Normal tooth brushes cannot reach those small hard to reach gaps, hence it is recommended to use interdental brushes in order to reach those small crevices.
Proper care for dentures
- Toothpaste containing abrasives is a NO
Dentures should be cleaned after each meal using a denture toothbrush without applying toothpaste. The reason for not using toothpaste is that the abrasive in the toothpaste wears out the denture surface. In order to remove grease from dentures, apply dishwasher soap to a toothbrush and brush gently. Place the denture on a towel or above water while brushing in order to prevent the chances of accidently dropping and breaking the denture.
Even our gums need a massage
- Round and round we go
Our gums need massages in order to improve the blood circulation and elasticity in order to prevent gum bone absorption. Use your thumb and index fingers and follow along your gum bone to massage your gums. I would recommend that you try it tonight before going to bed!
Visit your dentist for a routine check up
- Once every 6 months
The most important thing is to go in for a regular checkup. No matter how thorough you may clean your teeth, we are not professional dentists. No matter how busy you might be, it is important to visit your dentist every six months for regular checkups. Finding and treating diseases at early stages will be cheaper and less painful.
A low dose CT Oral examination with the Green CT is safe
- Once every 6 months
Doctors and staff should be able to work in a safe and convenient environment and the patients should be treated in a safe and worry-free location. Vatech has created highly sensitive sensors which are able to detect small amounts of X-rays and is able to provide clear images thanks to its reconstruction algorithm technology. Due to its innovative technology, Vatech has been able to reduce the radiation level to 75% of its previous devices.
I hope we all live happily to the age of 100 while being able to eat delicious foods~
