By Dr Juliana Tian, PURE NZ Dental

19th Dec 2023

 

Why is elderly dental care important?

Elderly dental care is crucial not only for maintaining oral health but also for promoting overall health, well-being and higher quality of life. This is because with a set of good and healthy dentition, they can eat better, have a more positive self-image and confidence, reduce risk of infection and bad breath. Here are some key advice to improve oral care of the elderly:

Brushing 2x daily

Good daily oral hygiene is the best way to keep teeth and gums healthy. Ensure that you are using the right toothbrush and a fluoride toothpaste as well

Using the right toothbrush

Use a soft bristled toothbrush. For elderly with dexterity problems, a modified toothbrush with a broader grip would be ideal. A good home DIY would be to wrap a small hand towel around the base of the toothbrush. This broader base provides a better grip for them

Avoid wearing dentures to sleep

Before sleeping, always remove the dentures and brush your gums and dentures. By leaving your dentures out at night, you allow your gums to rest and help to stop bacteria growth.

Wear good fitting dentures

Wearing loose or poorly fitted dentures can cause ulcerations and infections.

Visit the dentist every 6 month or more frequently if you have higher risk factors

With regular visits, this enables the dentist to monitor your oral health and provide necessary treatments

Having a well-balanced diet

A well-balanced diet ensures that sufficient vitamins, calcium, dietary fiber and protein are taken. This helps reduce the risk of dental impairment and ensures adequate amount of saliva production. One should reduce intake of sweet or sticky food.

Conclusion

In conclusion, regular dental check-ups, proper oral hygiene and early intervention for dental issues are essential components of comprehensive healthcare for the elderly.

How can Pure NZ Dental assist in providing affordable elderly dental care?

Our dental clinic is a CHAS participating clinic and you can receive dental subsidies if you bring along your CHAS card when visiting our dentists.  Depending on the type of CHAS card you have, you could receive benefits based on your blue, green or orange card’s status.  If you are in Singapore and belong to the pioneer generation or the Merdeka generation, you can apply the cards for additional subsidy.  Call us now to check on your CHAS card eligibility.

Please feel to contact us if you require further information.