As people get older, the ways in which they take care of their body will change. This is the same for your dental health just as much as the rest of your physical health.
If your oral hygiene is neglected as you age, you can experience a lot of health problems that you otherwise may have been able to avoid. So to help ensure that you don’t wind up with more problems to deal with as you live in your assisted living facility than you otherwise would, here are three ways your dental hygiene should adjust as you age.
Focus On Fluoride
Many people think of fluoride as something that only children need to worry about when it comes to their dental health. However, if you’re at all worried about the enamel of your teeth, which you should be as an older adult, you’ll want to make sure that you’re getting the right amount of fluoride for your teeth as well.
You can get fluoride in many different ways. Some people live in places where their tap water has fluoride in it. If this isn’t the case for you, you can always seek out fluoride supplements from your doctor or dentist. And finally, using a toothpaste that has fluoride in it or getting fluoride treatments when at your dental visits can also help.
Talk To Your Doctor About Dry Mouth
Something that many older adults struggle with as they age is dry mouth.
As you get older, your body will naturally start making less and less saliva. In addition to this, certain medications that many older adults take on a regular basis can also cause issues with dry mouth. So if you’ve noticed that your mouth is chronically dry, make sure you speak to your doctor about this to see if something can be done so that your mouth is more comfortable and you have the saliva you need for a safe and clean mouth.
Don’t Overlook Issues You Notice
When you were younger, you may have gotten into a habit of waiting until something with your body was really bothering you before you went to a doctor or dentist. But as you get older, as soon as you notice some kind of issue taking place, it’s wise to get things checked out sooner rather than later.
As you get older, small issues can quickly spiral into larger issues that now require a lot of help to fix. But if you’re able to catch things early, you should be able to stop any problems happening with your mouth or teeth before they advance too much.
If you want to make sure that you have great dental health for as long as you live, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you make adjustments to your oral hygiene as you age.
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