How to Maintain Healthy Teeth As You Age
Get a different type of toothbrush., Don't let your mouth dry out., Tell your dentist about any medical problems you are experiencing., Let your dentist know about medications you are taking., Consider going to a dentist that specializes in elderly...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Get a different type of toothbrush.
As you age it may become difficult or improper for you to brush your teeth as you used to.
You should use a soft bristled brush as you get older.
Also, if you have arthritis, it can be difficult to brush with a normal toothbrush.
In this instance you can use a toothbrush with an extra long handle or invest in an electric toothbrush instead.A soft toothbrush can protect your gums and the aging enamel on your teeth.
A toothbrush with a longer handle will allow you to keep your arm lower while you brush.
An electric toothbrush will allow you to use less pressure when brushing and still get a thorough cleaning. -
Step 2: Don't let your mouth dry out.
As you age you are more likely to have dry mouth.
This could be due changes in your mouth or due to medications that cause dry mouth.
Having a dry mouth can impact your dental health because saliva protects teeth from decay and helps clean your teeth.To offset dry mouth, you should drink more water and hold it in your mouth for a few seconds as you drink it.
Also, you can suck on sugar-free candies or lozenges or chew sugar-free gum to stimulate the production of saliva in your mouth. , If you develop medical conditions as you age you should let your dentist know, as it could impact that way that they care for your teeth.
Conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer can have a real impact on your dental health and these impacts need to be addressed by your dentist., As you age, you are likely to take more medications.
Some medications can impact your teeth and dental health.
Let your dentist know about all of your medications so that they can consider them when giving you dental care.For example, medications that thin the blood, such as aspirin and warfarin, can cause excessive bleeding in the mouth when your dentist is caring for your teeth., There are some dentists that focus on caring for the dental health of the elderly.
This allows them to provide expert care for the particular needs of the elderly.You can usually find a dentist that specializes in dental care for the elderly, called geriatric dentistry, through a specialty dental association's website or through a referral from your original dentist. -
Step 3: Tell your dentist about any medical problems you are experiencing.
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Step 4: Let your dentist know about medications you are taking.
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Step 5: Consider going to a dentist that specializes in elderly care.
Detailed Guide
As you age it may become difficult or improper for you to brush your teeth as you used to.
You should use a soft bristled brush as you get older.
Also, if you have arthritis, it can be difficult to brush with a normal toothbrush.
In this instance you can use a toothbrush with an extra long handle or invest in an electric toothbrush instead.A soft toothbrush can protect your gums and the aging enamel on your teeth.
A toothbrush with a longer handle will allow you to keep your arm lower while you brush.
An electric toothbrush will allow you to use less pressure when brushing and still get a thorough cleaning.
As you age you are more likely to have dry mouth.
This could be due changes in your mouth or due to medications that cause dry mouth.
Having a dry mouth can impact your dental health because saliva protects teeth from decay and helps clean your teeth.To offset dry mouth, you should drink more water and hold it in your mouth for a few seconds as you drink it.
Also, you can suck on sugar-free candies or lozenges or chew sugar-free gum to stimulate the production of saliva in your mouth. , If you develop medical conditions as you age you should let your dentist know, as it could impact that way that they care for your teeth.
Conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer can have a real impact on your dental health and these impacts need to be addressed by your dentist., As you age, you are likely to take more medications.
Some medications can impact your teeth and dental health.
Let your dentist know about all of your medications so that they can consider them when giving you dental care.For example, medications that thin the blood, such as aspirin and warfarin, can cause excessive bleeding in the mouth when your dentist is caring for your teeth., There are some dentists that focus on caring for the dental health of the elderly.
This allows them to provide expert care for the particular needs of the elderly.You can usually find a dentist that specializes in dental care for the elderly, called geriatric dentistry, through a specialty dental association's website or through a referral from your original dentist.
About the Author
Ashley Gibson
Brings years of experience writing about home improvement and related subjects.
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