Tips for Healthy and Effective Denture Care

By Jennifer Benjamin | October 14, 2016 | Comments Off on Tips for Healthy and Effective Denture Care

Elder Care in Bayside NY

Dentures can be extremely beneficial for your elderly parent. If they have been dealing with tooth decay or missing teeth, dentures can enable them to feel more confident with speaking, eating, drinking, or socializing. In order to get the most benefit from their dentures, however, they must take care of them properly. Healthy and effective denture care will protect these devices from Elder-Care-in-Bayside-NYdamage and help to keep your parent’s mouth safer as they use this device for the benefit of their later years.

 

Use these tips to help your parent keep their dentures healthy and in good condition:

  • Rinse after eating. Encourage your parent to remove their dentures and rinse them after eating. This will remove food particles and help to prevent these particles from getting beneath the dentures and potentially causing irritation, infection, or bad breath.
  • Practice gum care. Just because your aging parent does not have their natural teeth any longer does not mean that they do not need to take care of their mouth. Ensure that they continue to practice hygiene including rinsing and wiping their gums, rinsing their mouth, and brushing their tongue to remove bacteria and food particles from the mouth.
  • Do not use toothpaste. Brushing dentures is important just as it is with natural teeth. Unlike natural teeth, however, it is vital that your parent does not use traditional toothpaste on their dentures. This product is excessively abrasive and can damage dentures. Instead, use a denture cleaning product and a soft brush to clean the device.
  • Soak overnight. Your parent should not let their dentures dry out or sit out at night. Instead, they should soak them with a denture cleaning tablet overnight. Be sure that your aging parent rinses their dentures thoroughly before putting them back in their mouth to ensure that they do not consume any of the denture cleaning solution when they put them back in in the morning.
  • Keep up with the dentist. Even if your elderly loved one does not have any natural teeth, they still need to visit with the dentist to ensure that they are not suffering from health issues such as gum disease or mouth cancers. Make sure that they continue to see the dentist at least every six months or when they experience new or uncomfortable symptoms.

 

If your aging parents have recently started using dentures or you think that they could benefit from additional support and encouragement to help them achieve and maintain better oral health throughout their later years, starting elder care can be the ideal solution. Having an elderly health care services provider in the home with them is a fantastic way to ensure that they get the care, support, encouragement, and assistance that they need to remain healthy, safe, comfortable, and happy as they age in place. Through personalized services tailored to their individual needs, challenges, and limitations, and well as their personality, opinions, beliefs, and goals, this care provider can ensure that your parent is able to remain as independent as possible as they live the lifestyle that they desire and deserve throughout their later years.

 

If you or an aging loved one are considering in-home elder care in Bayside, NY, please contact the caring staff at Family First Home Companions. Serving all of Long Island. Call today: (631) 319-3961

 

Source:  http://www.mayoclinic.org/denture-care/expert-answers/faq-20058375

Jennifer Benjamin
Latest posts by Jennifer Benjamin (see all)
Posted in Elder Care in Bayside NY and tagged