Dental Visit Tips for the Elderly

What Counts to Elderly?

Dental care habits are introduced early on in our lives. This is to make sure that at a young age we could protect our teeth and gums and develop these habits as we get older. All of these efforts aim to give you healthy teeth and gums when you reach your senior years. Just like your body, your teeth also ages, thus, dental care treatments are needed to maintain and secure your oral health. Dental appointments help a lot in letting you know the current status of your dental health and the damage that foods and habits have done in the course of time.

Your oral health affects your overall health in so many ways as infections can start from the mouth and travel down to various organs of the body. Gum diseases, in particular, can affect the heart through the bloodstream that often leads to heart diseases. Bacteria can burrow down on gums through abrasions of poorly fitted dentures in seniors that can eventually reach the blood flow. It can also affect the lungs that can increase the chances of pneumonia which is a serious concern especially when you’re a senior.

Dental appointments play a big role in keeping the oral health and overall health of seniors in many ways. Prevention of the diseases mentioned earlier is the best way to avoid them. If you’re elderly and wishes to go to a dental appointment, here is a list of things to remember or bring with you to achieve a comfortable visit.

Medical History. This form would be sent to you to fill out before your appointment or would be filled out on the office on the day of the appointment. This form would ask for your medical history and should be filled out as honestly as possible. You would have to provide information about medications, surgeries, drug allergies and other medical issues that you have had.

Medications. Keep a list of all your medications in handy to give the staff of walk in dental offices an idea of procedures or treatments that are not advisable for you. You can write down or bring along prescriptions of over-the-counter drugs as well as vitamins and supplements that you are taking. Be sure to write down your doctor’s name and the complete specification of each medication or vitamins.

Physical Examination Record. You can bring a copy of the most recent physical exam from your doctor.

Names and phone numbers. Like mentioned earlier, you have to make a list of names of your doctors or specialist as well as your family members and their contact information for the healthcare & dental details.

Dental Concerns. You can also make a list of all your dental problems that need immediate attention. This will help you not to forget them when you get to the dental office.

For people with memory issues, making a list ahead of the appointment would help a lot. This would also lessen the anxiety for seniors in the dentist’s office.

Dental Health: The White Wine Effect

White-ish Perks of White Wines

Just like your favorite foods the drinks and beverages that you sip throughout the day can affect your pearly whites. Your food choices can make or break your dental health. This is because foods and drinks pass through the mouth and come in direct contact with your teeth and gums.

Enjoying a glass of white wine seems to be a better choice over red wine. You may think that its color makes it more teeth friendly but sad to say you have to think again. Here is a list of reasons white wine can pose serious damage to your teeth. Remember your enamel should be strong and it should withstand all the drinks and food you throw along its way. With the help of your 24 hour dentist LA, you can continue your dental care regimen on a daily basis.

Teeth Staining. Red wines can cause direct discoloration and staining to teeth enamel due to its rich pigment but the acidity of white wine can cause more staining in the long run. Like mentioned earlier, the acidity of white wine can cause significant damage to your tooth’s enamel making it more susceptible to staining agents like foods and drinks. The weaker your enamel is, the faster your teeth get stained.

All hope isn’t lost for the white wine lover though. There are tricks to lessen the harmful effects it can do to your teeth. You can drink your favorite vino and chew on some cheese to promote saliva production. Saliva plays a big role in keeping the ph balance of the mouth and lower down the acidic levels. You can also drink water in between sips of wine to wash away wine residue in the mouth and your teeth. You should never forget to brush your teeth before going to bed to make sure your teeth are clean and safe from acid residues. Be sure not to brush directly after drinking your wine because the enamel is sure to be softened at that point. Brushing would only worsen the tooth erosion.

Tooth erosion is a natural event especially in times of eating and drinking.  Enjoying life’s guilty pleasures help you live a happier life. Just be sure to do your dental care routines regularly and eat balanced meals to make up for cheat days.

Dentists help you achieve the kind of oral health you need. Although there are home-care remedies for your teeth and gums, it pays to seek professional help from a dentist. Dentists will educate you about dental care and bad oral habits that could result in dental problems. These habits however involve white wines. Nonetheless, dentists don’t forbid you from quitting abruptly. Besides toning down your white wine intake, dentists provide distractions that can help you control your thirst towards this drink.

It may not be as easy as pie but dental care plays a vital role in our lives. The more you resist from this just so you can continue your white wine habit, the more you become prone from dental issues. No need to fret though if you have oral issues. Dentistry has gone through major advancements now.