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.

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