Dental care might be something that both you and your senior have overlooked. It’s easy as a family caregiver to forget about your senior’s teeth because those are something she’s handled on her own for a long time already. But if your senior is neglecting good dental hygiene, she can start to develop some serious problems.
Double Check Her Last Dental Appointment
Sometimes seniors opt to skip dental appointments. This is even more common for people who have dentures, because they mistakenly believe that they no longer need a dentist. If your senior hasn’t been to the dentist in a while, it’s probably a good idea to set up an appointment as soon as possible. Dental fear is a very real problem, so don’t gloss that over with your senior. Let her dentist know that she’s experiencing anxiety, because her dentist can make the visit easier on her.
Look for Tools that Help
Dental tools for home use have come a long way and can make it easier for your senior to care for her teeth, even if she’s facing trouble from issues like arthritis. Large-handled toothbrushes, electric toothbrushes, and water floss devices can all help. They assist your senior in doing more cleaning with less effort on her part.
Check Dentures for Signs of Trouble
If your elderly family member has dentures, make sure to check them regularly for cracks, broken pieces, or anything that just doesn’t look right. Dentures should always be kept in water if they’re not in your senior’s mouth because they can dry out and become brittle otherwise. Dentures need to be brushed regularly, but not with a standard toothbrush. Use a denture brush because it’s softer and gentler on denture material.
Consider Senior Home Care Assistance
At some point, your elderly family member may need more help with her own dental care at home. One option is to hire senior home care providers to assist your elderly family member with personal care tasks like tooth brushing, bathing, and more. This can be especially important if you and your aging family member don’t live close enough for you to help her yourself.
Without proper dental care, your elderly family member isn’t as able to eat the healthy foods that can keep her immune system and her body strong. Malnutrition is a huge problem for aging adults, so if there is anything that you can do to ensure she’s able to keep her teeth in good condition, it’s important to put that plan to work.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering Senior Care in Verona, WI please contact the caring staff at Agape Senior Services Madison today. (608) 841-1004
