Contents:
- Medical Video: Caring for Elderly Dental and Oral Health, Beautiful Smile Keys on Old Age
- Tips for treating elderly teeth and mouth
- 1. Limit sweet foods and contain starch
- 2. Brush and flossing teeth every day
- 3. Visit a dentist regularly
- 4. Stop smoking
- 5. Take care of your teeth according to your doctor's advice
- 6. Maintain a healthy diet
Medical Video: Caring for Elderly Dental and Oral Health, Beautiful Smile Keys on Old Age
As you age, your chewing ability may decrease, especially if you lose your teeth and wear false teeth that don't fit. In addition, mouth and dental disorders develop more frequently as age increases, such as bad breath, cavities, gum disease and infection. However, there are many ways to prevent mouth and tooth problems in order to stay healthy later in life. How do you treat elderly teeth and mouth? Consider the following tips.
Tips for treating elderly teeth and mouth
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), as many as 23 percent of people aged 65-74 years have severe oral and dental disorders. This often results from not taking good care of the teeth and mouth.
Here are tips to prevent oral and dental problems in the elderly, to have mouth and teeth that remain healthy during old age.
1. Limit sweet foods and contain starch
You can prevent mouth and tooth disorders by reducing or limiting sweet or starchy foods or drinks. Both are foods and drinks that can damage teeth, regardless of your age, both children and the elderly.
Sugar creates acids that can erode your teeth. Meanwhile, starchy foods stick to the teeth and form plaques, making bacteria accumulate in the teeth.
Also, avoid foods or drinks that contain artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, which tends to make you crave more sugar, gain weight, while increasing your risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.
2. Brush and flossing teeth every day
Make sure you keep brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing your teeth every day. Remember, these two things include the most basic ways to treat teeth and mouth that must be done, whatever the health condition of the elderly.
Toothbrush can protect your teeth from plaque buildup, decay and gum disease. In addition to brushing and flossing teeth, you should also clean your teeth by rinsing antiseptic fluids 1-2 times a day. According to the American Dental Association, routine rinsing with antiseptic fluids can prevent plaque buildup and gum disease.
3. Visit a dentist regularly
Visiting the dentist regularly can help you detect dental problems that may occur in the early stages. If you delay treatment, you may experience permanent tooth damage.
When you are at a dental clinic, your doctor will examine and treat your elderly teeth thoroughly, to the point that you cannot reach them. This will make your teeth, gums, and mouth healthier.
4. Stop smoking
Smoking can accelerate damage to the mouth and teeth and mouth tissue by lowering the immune system and reducing the amount of oxygen in the blood.
Smokers are very susceptible to gum disease. So, cigarettes are an important concern in the aging process related to teeth. Smoking is also a risk factor in the development of oral cancer.
Therefore, if you are a smoker, it is better to stop smoking and start living healthier.
5. Take care of your teeth according to your doctor's advice
If you have had dental implants or dental fillings, this needs appropriate treatment to keep healthy teeth in old age. Perform a doctor's recommended treatment to maintain the repair of your teeth.
If you wear dentures, make sure you keep them clean and follow your dentist's specific care guide. Just like natural teeth, dentures can last long if you take good care of them.
If you experience dental signs that begin to be unhealthy, bad breath, or discomfort in the teeth and mouth, immediately visit your dentist.
6. Maintain a healthy diet
A healthy and balanced diet will help treat elderly teeth and mouth. Be sure to add fermented foods in the diet to help balance the bacteria that live in the mouth.
Fermented foods such as cheese, butter, kefir, and yogurt. You can also add other fermented foods like kimchi, kombucha, or miso in your daily menu.
In addition, consuming foods that can help improve your immune system. This will help protect you from infections and diseases including in the mouth, as you get older.
Some immune-boosting foods include garlic, coconut oil, green vegetables, spirulina, papaya, kiwi, and oranges.
