Helping Your Elderly Relative Care For Their Teeth
Dental care for elderly patients in St John’s Wood.
Part of life involves caring for relatives who need support to maintain happiness and health in later life. Maybe it’s your neighbour, your mum, your dad, your grandad, your aunt – somebody that matters a lot that needs support.
One area where a lot of elderly people need support, is with their dental care. Older people are prone to dental issues and this can be for a wide variety of reasons such as bad habits, a lack of dental care earlier on in life, general ageing, medication and disease.
Dry Mouth
A lot of elderly people suffer from dry mouth, where they simply don’t have the saliva they need to help keep their mouth suitably moist. This is common amongst the elderly because of things like medication, medical issues like diabetes, chemotherapy and so forth. Dry mouth can be very uncomfortable for the person experiencing it and it can also cause dental issues too. A healthy mouth is one where saliva contributes to flushing away the ‘nasties’ that enter the mouth which otherwise can lead to issues like gum disease and tooth decay.
If your elderly relative is suffering from dry mouth, the best thing to do is start off by taking them to their GP. Their GP can then look at what may be causing the issue, and treat it, or change the medication that may be causing it. Your dentist at Abbey Road Dental may also be able to help with the symptoms as well, offering saliva substitute suggestions, or mouthwashes that help with the issue.
Dental Issues
Elderly people can be prone to dry mouth and other dental issues such as:
● Tooth decay
● Toothache
● Cracked teeth
● Gum issues
● Gum disease
● Denture issues
An elderly person might suffer from any number of dental issues, so the best approach to supporting their dental health is to take a well-rounded approach. This approach includes:
● Taking them to regular appointments with Abbey Road Dental, as well as extra visits if any issues arise
● Following advice from your GP & dentist in regards to helping your relative with their oral hygiene regime and any related medication
● Try to check in with them regularly about any tooth pain or other dental issues they may have
Support
If you need advice or support in helping your elderly relative maintain good oral health, don’t be afraid to reach out to their GP and get support and advice. Our caring dentist in NW8 will be able to help give you support and advice as well. So please give Abbey Road Dental a call on 02076241603 to make an appointment and one of our friendly team will be more than happy to help. Other useful websites to take a look at are:
Age UK – http://www.ageuk.org.uk/
Carers UK – https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice
EAC – http://www.eac.org.uk/
With support and a well-rounded approach to oral care, your elderly relative will hopefully enjoy a long and happy life with a healthy mouth.