Dental Care for Seniors
Pearly White Dental has a special commitment to the oral hygiene and dental care needs of senior citizens. As a person ages, there are changes in the conditions of the mouth and teeth. These changes include a greater dryness of the mouth, recession of the gum tissue, build up of tartar and stains from eating and smoking, and wearing away of enamel from years of chewing hard foods. Dentures present their own problems, with the continuous rubbing against the gums and bone structure of the jaw, as well as any sores in the mouth that may develop from time to time.
Working to combat all these stresses on the teeth and gums with a number of treatments is the focus of Pearly White Dental care. Seniors are encouraged to step up their dental cleaning and care a notch, to diminish the negative effects of aging. Daily hygiene must include twice daily brushings for at least two minutes each time, daily flossing, mouth wash rinsings, and regular visits to the dentist. A visit to your Pearly White Dental office every six months or more often if special conditions exist is recommended. This extra care regimen will cut down the number of tooth decays and gum problems.
The dentist at Pearly White Dental can check the gums for gingivitis and gum recession, as well as checking the development of stained teeth or gum-line decays. Teeth have three layers: the enamel outer layer, the bone-like dentin underneath the enamel, and the soft inner layer called cementum, which is the material the root of teeth are made of. Years of sipping coffee and tea, smoking, and eating hard foods such as nuts and ice stain and chip away at the enamel. Dry mouth conditions caused by the use of certain medications which reduce saliva and cancer treatments such as radiation further the lack of moisture in the mouth that is necessary for good dental health. An adequate level of saliva in the mouth is necessary to keep the teeth surfaces clean of food and plaque. Low levels of saliva in the mouth set the stage for bacteria growth leading to tooth decays.
Regular visits to Pearly White Dental for inspection of the gums and teeth can prevent a high percent of such problems. Gum problems that may lead to bone loss and teeth loss can be greatly reduced. It is the goal of Pearly White Dental to help senior citizens keep their own teeth as long as possible and to help those who already have dentures to keep them fitting correctly and protect the health of the gums and bone structure of the jaw itself. With regular inspections, denture wearers can prevent the development of a fungus condition called candida albicans. The prevention of this condition is important to the comfortable wearing of the dentures and to the natural mouth's digestive environment.