How to Help Seniors in Charlotte Care For Their Teeth

We think of dentistry as separate from other types of healthcare because dentists keep separate practices, but the truth is that the mouth is tied to general health as much as any other part of the body. In fact, good oral health has been linked to reduced risk for a wide variety of conditions like heart disease and pneumonia. 

Good oral health is even more important for seniors. They often struggle to eat and hydrate enough already, and gum pain or dry mouth can add another barrier. However, aging-related issues like reduced coordination or memory issues can also make oral hygiene more difficult.

Here’s the good news: Charlotte offers plenty of resources to help seniors care for their oral health. With a little support, your loved one can get the sparkle back into their smile.

Oral Health Tips for Seniors in Charlotte

Many seniors struggle to take proper care of their teeth, but Charlotte offers a wealth of resources that can make it easier. Here are some of our favorite ways to help older people with oral hygiene:

Get the Right Tools

Aging makes oral hygiene harder. Joint pain and impaired coordination make it a challenge to brush and floss, while dementia and other memory issues make it harder to follow a schedule or prioritize self-care. In addition, many seniors avoid brushing and flossing because it intensifies any existing oral pain or discomfort.

Fortunately, local pharmacies like Randolph Medical Pharmacy carry a variety of products that make it easier for seniors to maintain their oral hygiene, such as:

• Electric Toothbrushes: Brushing takes more strength and manual dexterity than you might expect. Not only do electric toothbrushes reduce the amount of coordination it takes, they also do a better job than manual toothbrushes.
• Dental Picks: People of all ages struggle with traditional floss, not just seniors. Try getting them some dental picks instead: Disposable sticks of ergonomically-shaped plastic that get floss into hard-to-reach areas. 
• Water Flossers: Dental picks are far easier to use than traditional floss, but more challenging than a manual toothbrush. If your loved one struggles with brushing, try getting them a water flosser, which squirts a jet of pressurized water to clean between the teeth. Thanks to the long, angled head, there’s no reaching or twisting needed.
• Dry Mouth Lozenges: Dry mouth becomes more common with age, and it’s also a common side effect of many medications and medical treatments. It’s not just an annoyance, either: Dry mouth makes it hard to eat and drink, and it can also increase the risk of tooth decay and gum disease. It comes and goes, so it’s best to keep dry mouth lozenges like Biotene or TheraBreath on hand to use as needed.

These essentials can reduce many of the barriers to self-care that seniors face, but they’re no substitute for direct help from another person. A professional caregiver can help your loved one with everyday dental care like brushing and flossing.

Hydrate Better

Another key element of self-care that seniors tend to struggle with is hydration. As people age, their desire to drink water tends to diminish. That doesn’t mean they need any less water than before; it just means they’re less able to notice when they’re thirsty.

On top of difficulty noticing thirst cues, aging brings a host of other difficulties with hydration. Impaired coordination and dry mouth can make the physical act of drinking harder, while memory issues often make it difficult to remember to drink enough on a regular basis.

Fortunately, there’s an easy way to make drinking easier and more effective for seniors. Sports equipment stores like Dick’s Sporting Goods of Charlotte sell hydration-boosting powders full of electrolytes and vitamins. Not only do they make water tasty (and therefore more appealing), they actually improve the body’s ability to absorb it. That means each cup of enhanced water goes a little farther toward replenishing lost fluids.

Find Them a Dentist They Like

Many older people feel anxious or discouraged about dental care due to bad experiences with dentists when they were young. This can make the idea of scheduling dental appointments or even brushing their teeth feel too overwhelming to approach.

Older people who experience dental anxiety don’t just need a good dentist—they need the right dentist. A dentist your loved one actually likes won’t just perform exams and cleanings; they’ll listen, share valuable information and offer the sort of positive encouragement that makes oral health seem less overwhelming. 

That’s why it’s worth the time to make a list of local dental practices to investigate—and to put Southpark Dental & Oral Care at the top of that list. Led by Dr. Lynne Murchison, Southpark Dental specializes in geriatric dental care. They’re deeply familiar with the most common dental issues seniors face, and they know exactly how to encourage and comfort seniors who find oral health confusing or overwhelming. 

Get Professional Help With Oral Hygiene

From tools to help with oral care to kind, compassionate dental practitioners, the resources available in Charlotte can help make senior dental care as simple and painless as possible. However, it also helps to have a little support with the practical side of things.

A professional caregiver like those at FirstLight Home Care of Charlotte can do a lot to help maintain your loved one’s dental health. From assisting with brushing and flossing to giving them a warm, steady companion in the dentist’s waiting room, our caregivers can remove many of the barriers seniors face on the way to good oral health.

To learn more about how we can help with your loved one’s dental care, please contact us.