As seniors get older, health concerns become more common, often causing dental care to fall to the wayside. However, maintaining your teeth and visiting the dentist regularly are vital to your smile and overall health. Here’s what you need to know. 

Why Dental Care Is Important for Seniors

It’s common for seniors to have dental problems, such as halitosis, darkened teeth, tooth loss, or periodontal disease. These issues can cause cosmetic changes to your smile, as well as discomfort. 

Additionally, people who have periodontal disease are two to three times more likely to have a heart attack, stroke, or serious cardiovascular event. Dentists and scientists aren’t 100% sure why there’s a correlation; however, it might be because gum disease causes inflammation, which can lead to other health problems.

It’s also been shown that good oral hygiene reduces the chances of seniors getting pneumonia when they breathe in bacteria, viruses, or fungi. This is because they aspirate less of these oral pathogens when their mouths are clean. Also, seniors are two times more likely to get pneumonia if they wear their dentures to bed at night.

How to Improve Senior Dental Care

Brush your teeth twice a day for about two minutes. Getting an electric toothbrush has been proven to reduce plaque significantly and can help you brush better if you have strength or mobility issues. Floss once a day. If you have trouble using traditional flossing methods, your dentist can recommend a special brush or waterpiks.

If you wear removable dentures, brush them two times a day, rinse them after you eat, and let them soak in a cleaning solution overnight. 

Finally, visit the dentist for biannual checkups. These allow your dentist to assess your oral health, reduce plaque, and catch any problems early, such as tooth decay. Schedule a visit if you notice anything wrong, like pain while chewing, bleeding gums, or a loose tooth.

Dental Clinic of Onalaska offers comprehensive dental health care to patients over 65. Their main dentist, Dr. Mike Olsen, has been practicing dental care in La Crosse County, WI, since 1993. They offer dentures, dental cleanings, and extractions at their Trempealeau office and Onalaska office. Visit their website or call (608) 783-3341 to schedule an appointment.