Simple Ways to Encourage Good Oral Hygiene Habits in Elderly Parents
Senior citizens are often physically and emotionally demotivated towards oral health. While the reasons could be anything from poor health conditions and improper cognitive skills to financial constraints, the usual cause is simply the lack of awareness about good oral hygiene.
As children, caregivers, or family dentists, it’s vital to encourage our seniors about the importance of good oral health. There are a plethora of oral health problems in elderly due to aging, comorbidities, and neglect that may demand emergency dental treatment. Advise, motivate, and foster elderly dental care in your family today to avoid such complications. Read on to learn simple ways to include your beloved oldies in a disciplined oral hygiene routine.
5 Simple Ways to Foster the Importance of Oral Care in Elderly
Advising the seniors in the family can be daunting. They may not want to hear tips and advice from you! Trust us–-we understand the issue! So let us help you in encouraging good oral hygiene in elderly parents:
- Set an Example: This is the best way to involve the elderly and the young ones in any family routine. Begin by being disciplined in your own dental hygiene routine. Make it a point to brush twice daily, once in the morning and once before bedtime. You can include your mum or dad while you swish your mouthwash or floss your teeth. Not only will this motivate them to follow you, but it will also ensure some fun family time.
- Set Reminders: Amnesia, dementia, or forgetfulness are common among the elderly. Setting reminders for them is a great way to foster a habit. Modern technology offers numerous mobile apps, bluetooth devices, and electronic toothbrushes that come with timers and alarms. Set a daily alarm for brushing teeth, flossing, and rinsing to help them develop a routine. Such devices also record the daily inputs when the task is complete, which will help you and the dental clinic near you evaluate whether the proper oral hygiene routine has been followed.
- Simplify the Dental Tools: Make the elderly dental care routine simple and doable. Here are a few tips to help you go about it:
- Purchase an electronic toothbrush if dexterity is an issue for your parents.
- Ensure that the toothbrush has an ergonomic, well-shaped handle to help hold them
- Soft-bristled toothbrushes are advised.
- You can use a flavorless and fluoride-based toothpaste for the best results
- Always buy a non-alcoholic mouthwash to prevent excessive dryness of the mouth
- You can advise gum chucks and water flossers to help them clean in-between the teeth
- Ensure an Accessible Bathroom: Older people find it difficult to walk around the house. In addition to suffering excruciating pain and discomfort from physical exertion, they might lose their balance and fall. To avoid unnecessary accidents and help them access the bathroom at any time of the day, ensure an attached bath that is well-lit with minimal tapestry and design.
- Take Them to the Family Dentist Regularly: Do not miss an appointment with the dentist. A family dentist specializing in elderly dental care or geriatric practice will be adept at detecting oral health problems in elderly.Some common dental issues among the elderly include:
- Missing, fractured, and loose teeth
- Soggy, bleeding, and unhealthy gums
- Dryness and burning sensations in the mouth
- Reddish, bald tongue
- Jaw pains.
Visit your dentist periodically to detect such lesions at the earliest.
- Cancer Screening: Oral cancer screenings are essential every year. Beware of a persistent mouth ulcer, an unhealed extraction socket, sharp teeth, and whitish patches in the mouth. These can all snowball into a cancerous lesion later on.Dentists are usually adept at diagnosing precancerous issues in the mouth. It’s best to begin by removing the causative factor, treating the lesion locally with medicines, advising good nutrition, and getting a thorough health checkup done.
If these factors do not resolve the problem, a biopsy and cancer therapy will be recommended.
Conclusion
Why is it important to encourage elderly dental care? Well, we would say to make good oral hygiene habits a part of their daily routine. At the end of the day, the goal is to keep them healthy, happy, and fit. The process of motivating them can be made fun and could become a moment of family bonding. If you have a loved one who is ignorant of dental health, feel free to call us for assistance.
