What Makes Senior Oral And Dental Care So Important?

It's important that your teeth remain strong and clean if you want to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Regardless of your age, dental care is important. But seniors need even more of it. Unfortunately, a large number of senior citizens don't get the dental treatment they need. Various health issues, such as tooth decay and infections, may result from this. In the absence of proper senior oral dental care, the overall health might worsen.

Reasons Why Senior Citizens Need Oral Healthcare

In absence of proper oral care, the senior citizens might develop various problems leading to problematic lifestyles. Hence, the care of senior citizens' teeth cannot be overlooked. Following are some of the main reasons that senior citizens must be given a dedicated dental care:

1. Tooth Decay:

For seniors, tooth decay can be a major issue because it leads to discomfort, inflammation, and even loss of teeth. Poor dental care, dry mouth, and acidic foods are a few of the things that cause tooth decay. In addition, underlying medical conditions including asthma, hypertension, and depression also contribute to tooth decay.

2. Diabetes:

It's necessary for seniors receiving oral and dental care to manage their blood sugar levels. Too much sweetness promotes the development of oral bacteria, which can cause gum disease and mouth inflammation. Hence, choosing sugar-free food items can help you have improved oral health.

3. Pneumonia:

Seniors who smoke are much more likely to have oral conditions that can develop bacterial pneumonia. Senior smokers need dental care if they smoke since the bacteria from their lips quickly reach the lungs to cause a number of lung-related ailments, such as emphysema.

4. Gum Disease:

Gum disease seems to be a major issue for seniors since it can result in tooth loss. Gingivitis, the early phase of gum disease, is characterized by swollen, red, and easily bleeding gums. If it is not treated timely, gingivitis can develop into periodontitis, a more dangerous type of the illness.

As a result of periodontitis' damage to the bone and gum tissue, teeth loosen and eventually fall off. Gum disease also results in a higher risk of heart disease.

5. Oral Cancer:

Many senior citizens are at risk of getting oral cancer. Seniors who regularly smoke or chew tobacco require dental treatment immediately so they can diagnose this deadly condition before it's too late!

6. Dry Mouth:

Seniors frequently have xerostomia, also known as dry mouth. Saliva is essential for preventing dental cavities. However, many elderly people take multiple drugs that lead to dry mouth. These include incontinence drugs, blood pressure medications, antihistamines, decongestants, and many others. To tackle this issue, the majority of experts advise seniors to drink plenty of water and avoid high caffeine intake.

The Bottom Line

A major element of graceful aging and geriatric care is dental health. The risks of having an unclean mouth are considerable. To avoid various oral health issues, everyone should follow the basic tooth care tips. Although proper brushing and flossing can help relieve these oral health issues, routine dental visits are the best way out.