Sciota, Pennsylvania
Aging is apparent in everybody at some point. And the older you get, the more noticeable signs of aging are, like gray hair and wrinkled skin, but neglecting your teeth and gums can also make you look older than your actual age. Regardless of your age, maintaining your oral health is an essential part of overall health. Neglecting your smile, developing dental disease, and tooth loss are all things that can make a smile look more aged. And tooth loss that isn’t replaced with prosthetics can increase wrinkles and a sunken-in look around the cheeks. Therefore, if you want to keep your smile looking young for as long as possible, and protect the rest of your health, check out these three oral health tips for seniors.
Practice good oral hygiene daily
Brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing daily, and seeing the dentist twice a year for checkups and cleanings should continue for patients of all ages, especially aging adults. The older you get, the more likely you are to develop cavities or other dental issues like gum disease. And skipping your dental visits or neglecting your smile by not brushing and flossing regularly can increase those risks even more. But brushing your teeth at least twice a day removes harmful bacteria that are responsible for tooth decay. Bacteria convert residual sugars and food by-products into acid that eventually erodes dental enamel the longer it sits on your teeth. It’s consistency that matters most. So, only brushing your teeth occasionally or hardly ever means that acid has plenty of time to do more damage. But brushing twice a day removes the acids until your next meal, helping reduce the risk that you’ll get cavities.
Floss every day
Flossing is the equivalent of brushing between your teeth, where your toothbrush can’t reach. And we hate to break it to you, but rinsing your mouth with mouthwash is not a substitute for flossing. But, for seniors that experience dexterity issues, it’s better to rely on using a water flosser every day rather than to forgo cleaning between your teeth entirely. However, if you have the dexterity to floss, you should use string floss for the best results.
Drink plenty of water
Aging adults are more likely to take prescription medications for their blood pressure, and cholesterol, or blood thinners. At any rate, medications often have unwanted side effects like dry mouth. While dry mouth may not seem like a big deal, it actually can be a serious problem for your oral health. Oral bacteria thrive in a dry environment, which means that a dry mouth causes an influx of those harmful bacteria, and in turn, increases your risk of chronic bad breath, gum disease, and cavities. If you suffer from dry mouth, be sure that you’re drinking plenty of water during the day. And perhaps you may need to speak with your dentist about other ways to combat dry mouth before it causes serious damage to your oral health. Never stop taking prescribed medications without first talking to the doctor that prescribed them.
Oral health for seniors in Sciota, Pennsylvania
Oral health maintenance is essential for all ages, even for older adults. In fact, it might be the most important time to concentrate on your oral health to help reduce your risk of other diseases. If you’d like to learn more about maintaining your oral health or schedule an appointment for a consultation, please call Quiet Valley Dental at (570) 992-7040.
