If you have an elderly parent, taking care of their teeth may be a concern. Many people that get older do not feel like they should take good care of their teeth and may even stop seeing a dentist. Below is some information about why they need to continue their dental care so your parent can understand the importance of it.
Dentures
Missing teeth is known as edentulism, and 90 percent of these people wear dentures. If your parent wears dentures, they may not think they need to see a dentist. The fact is, however, that they do because they do still have gums to care for. Even though their teeth are removed, gum disease is still a possibility. Problems with their gums will also make their dentures feel uncomfortable. Over time, dentures wear out and will need to be replaced.
Having gum disease is very dangerous as it will increase your parent's chances of having health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. In some cases, gum disease has been linked to dementia.
Natural Teeth
If your parent still has their natural teeth, they should consider themselves lucky. However, your parent will still need to take care of their natural teeth. If they are on medications, some may cause dry mouth, which increases your parent's thirst. Encourage them to drink water and use a toothpaste designed for dry mouth. If they turn to sugary drinks, the sugar will contribute to cavities and tooth decay. If not taken care of at this point, your parent would have to have a root canal to repair the tooth. Even though root canals are not painful, they can be expensive.
Oral Cancer
Oral cancer is always a risk for anyone, but it does increase with age rapidly after someone turns 60, and the risk for developing the cancer peaks between the age of 60 and 70. If your parent was a smoker or currently smokes, this greatly increases their chances. In some cases, it can take cancer a long time to develop, and your parent would not have any symptoms. Treatments for oral cancer become more difficult to withstand as the patient ages, so be sure your parent continues to see a dentist to catch the disease early on.
If your parent is refusing dental care, take them to their dentist. They can explain all of these things to them in even more detail so they can have a better understanding.
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