Has your elderly loved one been slipping on their dental hygiene? Maybe, they forget to brush and floss their teeth twice a day? They may not be brushing well enough. Dental hygiene is so important for everyone, especially the elderly. If they get an infection or an abscess due to not taking care of their oral or dental health, it could lead to severe issues. Personal care at home services could be there to oversee their dental hygiene as part of their services.
As a family caregiver, there are some important dental hygiene tips that you can help your elderly loved one with.
Proper Flossing and Brushing
It is very important that your elderly loved one is properly flossing and brushing their teeth. They should be doing both these things 2 times every day. If they eat something very sugary in the middle of the day, it may even be beneficial to brush their teeth after doing that, as well.
Some elderly people find it difficult to floss and brush their teeth. This may be due to increased pain or muscle spasms. They may have shaky hands that make it difficult to do this, as well. Is this is the case for your elderly loved one? If so, you may want to get personal care at home services for your loved one. That way, the home care providers can help them to properly floss and brush their teeth.
Reducing Amount of Sugary Foods and Drinks
How much sugary foods and drinks has your elderly loved one been having? If they eat or drink a lot of these, they are more likely to experience dental cavities, oral abscesses, and an increased risk for other oral and dental health issues.
It is important to try getting your elderly loved one to reduce the amount of sugary foods and drinks they have. They don’t necessarily have to stop eating and drinking all sugary foods and beverages. However, they should replace at least some of them. For example, if they usually drink 2 or 3 sodas a day, have them cut it down to just one. They can replace the others with water or tea.
Having Dental Checkups
When did your elderly loved one last see their dentist? Most elderly people should be getting a dental checkup at least once a year. Some dentists recommend that elderly people get a checkup every 6 months. You should talk to your elderly loved one’s dentist to see how often they should be having these checkups. Then, you or a personal care at home provider can take them to these appointments. By having regular dental checkups, any dental issues such as abscesses or cavities that are present, can be treated sooner rather than later.
Add Personal Care at Home Services
Now that you know the importance of dental hygiene for the elderly and what to do to ensure they keep up with their dental hygiene, you can start helping your elderly loved one with this. Don’t forget that you can always get personal care at home services. The senior care providers can help your elderly loved one with their dental health, as well.
Sources: https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/basics/adult-oral-health/adult_older.htm
If you or an aging loved one are considering Personal Care at Home Services in Cambridge MA, or anywhere in Eastern Massachusetts, please call the caring staff at CARE Resolutions – (508) 906-5572.
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