25 Feb Dental Tips for Caregivers
If you’re caring for an injured, sick, or aging person, it’s important to remember to help him or her care for their teeth and gums. Keeping a healthy mouth can help stave off common oral health concerns like tooth decay, oral infections, and periodontal disease. In addition to assisting with proper home care, it is important to ensure that your loved one keeps routine appointments for checkups and cleanings with our dentist.
Following are some helpful oral health tips for caregivers.
Develop an Oral Hygiene Routine
Establishing a routine helps caregivers and their loved ones. We recommend having both a morning and nighttime oral hygiene routine. For example, you can assist with brushing about 30 minutes after the first meal of the day and again at nighttime just before bed. When it comes to nighttime routines, it’s important that you make sure your loved one flosses his or her teeth. Flossing prevents gum disease by removing debris from the gum line and stimulating the gingiva.
Some patients with moderate limitations fare better with electronic toothbrushes. These types of brushes do a lot of the work for them so that they can enjoy clean teeth without too much effort.
Consider Purchasing a Water Irrigator
If your loved one has bridges, dentures, or dental implants, a water irrigator may be a great investment. This tool supplies a gentle stream of water to clean underneath prosthetics. It is easy to use and can aid in removing leftover food and with improving a person’s breath.
Clean Dentures Daily
Those who care for people with dentures should remember to remove prosthetic teeth at night, clean them as directed by a dentist, and soak them. This gives oral tissue a chance to rest, cuts down on bacterial growth on prosthetics, and extends the lifespan of replacement teeth. Be sure to handle dentures carefully as they can break if you drop them.
Encourage Proper Hydration
Drinking water does more than just hydrate our body. Proper water consumption benefits our oral health, too. Water helps neutralize acid, rinse away food, and keep oral tissue moist. Make sure that clean, plain water is accessible throughout the day.
For more information or to reserve a checkup or cleaning, Call Kozlow & Rowell Dentistry today.