7 Reasons Why Seniors’ Dental Hygiene Is Important

If you are taking care of an older parent, grandparent, or another older loved one, it’s important to know it’s not just the nutritional diet and physical well-being that you need to be mindful of. It’s important to make sure their dental hygiene is not compromised and that their gums and teeth are in good health.

Most seniors experience dry mouth or periodontal diseases. Considering dental health affects the health of your overall body, these issues must be taken seriously. This article will list seven reasons it is important to maintain seniors’ dental health.

1. To Avert Root Decay

Tooth root decay is quite common in seniors. It is caused when a tooth root, which doesn’t have any enamel protection, is exposed to the acids from food.

2. To Keep Pneumonia and Diabetes at Bay

If you develop a gum disease, it will keep your body from using insulin. As a result, high blood sugar will cause more gum infections. Also, when seniors inhale bacterial droplets into their lungs, it causes pneumonia. Taking good care of seniors’ oral hygiene is the only way to prevent them from developing pneumonia and diabetes.

3. To Prevent Heart Diseases

Research has proven that gum diseases lead to heart diseases. Maintaining oral hygiene is the best way to avoid heart attacks, strokes, and other heart diseases. People with missing teeth, cavities, and gum diseases are more susceptible to heart diseases.

4. To Avoid Gum Diseases

We know that the remnants of food in our mouth develop plaque, and plaque is responsible for causing gum diseases. But what causes gum diseases in a senior’s mouth? Smoking tobacco, eating unhealthy diets, and improper fitting of dentures and bridges are some of the most commonly observed causes of gum diseases in seniors that must be addressed timely.

5. To Avoid Darkened Teeth

As a result of our aging process, dentin loses its color because of all the food and drinks that we consume. As the outer layer of our teeth goes thinner with our age, the yellow dentin begins to show through it, making our teeth look dark.

6. To Overcome Bite Issues

Seniors tend to experience bite issues when they lose their teeth. If seniors don’t replace their lost teeth with false ones, they experience bite issues. That’s because their other teeth begin to shift into open spaces, causing their jawbone to become uneven.

7. To Overcome Dry Mouth Condition

Seniors usually experience dry mouth as a result of medications and cancer treatment that they receive in their head or neck areas. When saliva is unable to keep the mouth wet and protect teeth from decay, a vast number of bacteria can cause infections and fungi in a senior’s mouth. However, regular dental checkups can alleviate the severity of these infections.