Unfortunately, it’s easy to overlook the special dental care needs of patients with dementia. Older adults who have this disease may lose the ability to look after their teeth properly. That’s where our Orange County geriatric dentistry services can come in handy.
We want your older relatives to be able to keep a healthy happy smile for as long as possible. Here’s a few things that you’ll need to know.
If you are a caregiver, giving simple instructions to the patient with Alzheimer’s is best. Telling someone with this disease to brush their teeth might not work. Breaking down the operation into parts is better. Start by saying things like “hold your toothbrush.”- You can put your hand over the patient’s to show them how to brush. Or, you can do it yourself to give them an example. Our Orange County geriatric dentistry services are aimed at helping you and the patient.
- Caregivers for people with Alzheimer’s should monitor their daily oral hygiene routines. Making sure they brush and floss on a regular basis is important. If they refuse to do either, there might be a dental issue.
If you are a caregiver, giving simple instructions to the patient with Alzheimer’s is best. Telling someone with this disease to brush their teeth might not work. Breaking down the operation into parts is better. Start by saying things like “hold your toothbrush.”
Here at 7 Day Dental, we look after each one of our valued clients. Of course that includes the seniors who come through our doors. We feel it is our responsibility to help them keep their teeth for as long as possible.
Making sure that a patient with Alzheimer’s gets to the dentist on a regular basis is critical. There are other issues that people over 55 suffer from when it comes to their oral health.
One of the big ones is the threat of potentially serious gum disease. With the buildup of plaque between the teeth and gums, gingivitis and periodontitis can develop. Without proper treatment, some seniors can actually lose teeth to these forms of gum disease.
Gingivitis is the initial stage that seniors need to look out for. It is characterized by swollen and red gums. The plaque build up can be a result of not developing good oral hygiene habits earlier in life.
If their gums have started to recede, seniors can also suffer from tooth and root rot. Removing plaque and food debris is especially important for this age group. If you need to find out more about Orange County geriatric dentistry, you can get in touch with us. We are always more than happy to share information with our valued clientele.