As you age, you may notice changes throughout your body, including your smile. But you can ensure your smile remains bright and beautiful when you take action to preserve it. With help from your dentist, you can maintain a gorgeous and youthful-looking smile no matter your age.
However, senior-aged dental patients may require additional attention from a dentist in order to prevent annoying oral health symptoms. Talk to your dentist at your next routine dental check-up to learn more about these effects. You can also read on to discover how aging can impact your oral health as well as how you can keep your smile looking and feeling its best.
Balance Medical Conditions and Oral Health Management
As you grow older, many aspects of your body could change, including fluctuations in your hormones. These hormonal changes will impact many processes in your body, including saliva production. You may produce less saliva as you age, which can leave you with uncomfortable dry mouth.
Dry mouth might also develop as a side effect of certain medicines. Not only will it feel unpleasant, but a dry oral environment can allow natural bacteria to spread with greater ease across your teeth, increasing your risk of oral infections like gum disease. You can talk to your dentist to find the right methods to manage dry mouth and bring your relief as well as oral health protection.
You can also develop certain chronic conditions, like heart disease or diabetes, when you get older. These conditions might influence your oral health if left without proper treatment.
The inverse can also be true. Contracting gum disease might make it harder to manage chronic illnesses. So work with both your dentist and your doctor to ensure you stay healthy and keep your smile in good shape as well.
Seek Targeted Dental Care for Senior Patients
You can fight structural dental problems as well as aesthetic concerns in your smile with proper at-home efforts and help from your dentist. Aging might increase your risk for certain oral health issues. But your dentist can offer targeted care to address these dangers and preserve the look and feel of your smile.
Make sure that you brush your teeth at least twice each day, morning and evening, to remove harmful residues that collect on your smile during the day. Floss every day too to get rid of plaque and other build-ups from between your teeth that a toothbrush cannot reach.
You can try alternative oral hygiene supplies that may improve the cleaning process. For instance, an electric toothbrush will maximize brushing capability and enhance range of motion, especially for patients with limited mobility. Floss picks can also be easier to move around your teeth than traditional string floss.
Good oral hygiene will also include attending regular cleaning appointments at your dentist’s office. The average dental patient must get a check-up twice per year. But senior patients may need to go to the dentist three or four times a year. Call your dentist to learn more about dental care designed for seniors.