Oral Hygiene Tips for Older Adults

Practicing proper oral hygiene between regular visits to the dentist in Fairview is extremely important for everyone, including older adults and senior citizens. There are multiple things that you can do at home to ensure that your oral health is up to dental standards.

Limit Your Sugar Intake

Many of the everyday foods and drinks that we enjoy have more sugar than necessary in their ingredients list, which is why sugar intake is something that should be carefully watched. Eating and drinking items that have high levels of sugar increases tooth decay, especially when you add sugar to your tea or coffee, for example.

Therefore, limiting your sugar intake and carefully reading the ingredients on all products, especially between regular meals, will help to reduce the risk of tooth decay for better oral hygiene.

Drink More Water

Drinking tap water, which has a fluoride supply in it depending on where you live, can actually help your oral hygiene drastically. Water with fluoride, tap water, helps to protect your teeth from further decay, whereas bottled water will not do so, as it does not contain fluoride.

Overall, drinking plenty of water throughout the day will help to keep your teeth moderately clean between brushing and will keep you hydrated, which is also very important for proper oral hygiene.

Watch Your Medication’s Side Effects

Certain medications will cause xerostomia, also known as “dry mouth”, which increases the risk for tooth decay greatly. To check whether or not your medication is one of the many culprits for this, speak with your dentist, doctor, or pharmacist, who will be able to tell you right away.

You should also check whether or not your medication includes any sugar, and whether or not there is a sugar-free option that you could begin to take. However, if this is not possible, remember to rinse with water after you have taken your medication, but only if it contains sugar.

Otherwise, keep yourself hydrated well throughout the day to avoid dry mouth and the risk of tooth decay as a result.

Keep Your Dentures Clean

If you are someone who wears dentures, always remember to clean them between meals to ensure that plaque does not have a chance to set itself in stone, and to ensure that all food particles are removed, should you eat with them in.

You must also remember to brush your tongue and your gums on a daily basis, at least twice per day, to keep the rest of your mouth clean, too. When you go to bed for the night, have your dentures resting in a glass of cold water with a cleaning solution.

To clean your dentures fully before you go to bed at night, use a mild soap, never use toothpaste, to clean the outside and the inside, and always remember to see your dentist if your dentures are in poor condition, are painful, or do not fit properly to your mouth.

Practicing Proper Oral Hygiene

By practicing the proper amount of oral hygiene between regular visits to the dentist, you will ensure that your oral health is in proper condition, and that you will not be at risk for the many oral issues that can arise, including tooth decay and overall loss.