Remember Your Parent’s Dental Health

As we grew up, our parents were constantly reminding us to brush our teeth and floss. Well, now it is our turn to remind them. As they get older, it becomes even more important for them to make sure they maintain their oral health. And it just might be up to their children to make sure that happens.

Parents May Need Help

Today, people are living longer than ever. In addition, many seniors are keeping their natural teeth longer. However, due to medical conditions that also come with age, maintaining their oral health can become a problem. For parents that suffer from conditions that create a lack of mobility or that are living out their golden years in an assisted living home, oral hygiene might get overlooked.

Dental Problems for Seniors

One of the larger concerns for seniors is gum disease. Because it can be a challenge to keep up with an oral hygiene program, and since gum disease does not cause pain in the early stages, it can be ignored until it becomes a very serious problem. When this is left untreated, it can lead to tooth loss.

Diabetes is a reality for far too many seniors. In addition to the obvious health concerns, diabetes has also been linked to tooth loss. A recent study actually linked this health problem to 20 percent of tooth loss cases.

Another concern is the medication seniors take. The side effects of some of these medications is dry mouth. When the mouth is continuously dry, acids can create tooth decay. The dryness can also encourage numerous infections in the mouth that can become quite painful.

If your parents have dental work, caring for this can be difficult. For instance, bridges must be maintained on a daily basis or decay can develop under the bridge. The process to treat this can be very uncomfortable for seniors, and the last thing any child wants is their elderly parents to be stuck in a dental chair having dental work removed.

Smokers and former smokers have additional risks to worry about. If your parents fit the bill, have your dentist add cancer screening to their checkups.

As people get older, dental procedures are far more likely. Rather than paying for every penny your insurance does not cover, consider using a New Hampshire discount dental plan that can help offset the costs. For more information and to find out how you can save significant money on your dental bills, click here.