Dental Care At Home For Seniors
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Oral health is not separate from general health, but maintaining oral health is definitely difficult and different in old age.The major block in oral health care of elderly and the residents would be the underestimation of the oral health care need by them. The dental care of the residents is often limited to emergency care and is not aimed at retaining teeth. Conversely, with changing attitudes the oral health goal should include: Keeping their teeth, keeping their teeth healthy and keeping their teeth pretty.
The best option to serve the residents would be “home dentistry or domiciliary dental care,” however it is yet an infrequent practice in India. Surveys should be conducted in this sector very routinely to spot the residents in the need of oral care circumscribing nursing homes, old age homes, ashrams, secure units, and community households.
In India, with its population of over one billion people, people older than 60 years constitute 7.6% of the total population, which amounts to 76 million.
Of added concern may be the presence of systemic disease that not only influences the patient’s ability to maintain oral hygiene and promotion of oral health, but can actually be related to the occurrence of certain oral diseases. Though impairments are not life threatening, they affect a person’s quality-of-life. Thus, planning treatment for the senior dental patient includes an understanding of the chronic diseases the patient lives with daily, as this play a critical role in the acceptance and success of the dental treatment plans.
DADS
Considering the practical inconvenience that most of the elders are facing, we at DADS have successfully attended to and treated the elders in senior citizen communities, old age homes and at their residence to understand their need and provide the necessary dental care.
Our service comes with many advantages which includes
1.Avoiding the travel to and from the dental clinic
2.Avoiding the waiting time at the dental clinic
3.Home visits ensures 100% focus on one patient
4.No risk of infection from hospital
5.No need to be dependent on someone to accompany
Preventive dental care for elderly people
The design and implementation of comprehensive preventive dentistry protocols for elders presents the dental profession with many challenges. Although a specific protocol must be tailored to meet the unique needs of the individual patient, there are certain factors common to elderly segment of the population that may influence these protocols.
Need for preventive services
Although the elderly are retaining their dentition longer than in the past, dental morbidity prevalence of dental diseases continues to be high. Presence of root caries, periodontal disease and xerostomia are oral diseases that are found majorly affecting the older population. Despite these conditions affecting the elderly being treatable or preventable, many of the elderly do not avail the needed treatment. This may because, most of the current older than 60 were not introduced to the concept of preventive dentistry at a young age and thus are not inclined to it. Many still hold the opinion that tooth loss is a normal part of the aging process and is not preventable. Others have adapted to a compromised oral health status and seek treatment only when an emergency arises.
Problems of providing preventive dental care for elderly people
One of the major challenges in providing restorative as well as preventive care for elderly people is to develop an appreciation of the need for regular care.12 Globally, poor oral health among older people has particularly been seen in a high level of tooth loss, dental caries experience, high prevalence rates of periodontal disease, xerostomia, and oral precancer/cancer.13 The basis of prevention is related to detecting disease at the earliest possible stage, which requires regular patient contact.
Tooth scary
Your much ignored dental problem may be a sign of something far more serious. Here's why you shouldn't postpone the visit to the dentist any further
Most of us do everything possible to avoid a visit to the dentist. As the cliché goes, for many, the visit is synonymous with the pre-test anxiety and perhaps an excruciating pain (shudder!) at the dentist's chair. Inflamed gums and cavities might lead to a forced visit to the dentist. However, the check-up can do more good to your health than you can ever imagine. You dental health can indicate serious health problems (if present) — from heart disease to vitamin deficiency and even cancer. Apart from serving as a warning signal for many health problems, poor dental condition that result due to poor dental hygiene may be jeopardising your overall health. For the simple reason that with any degree of inflammation in the mouth, some bacteria may be entering your bloodstream.
Diabetes
A dental check-up can diagnose if you have diabetes or are facing problems of poor blood sugar control. Those suffering from diabetes are almost three to four times more prone to periodontal diseases as compared to those who aren't suffering from diabetes. A lot of inflammation in spite of taking good care of one's teeth might indicate problems with the blood sugar level.
The reason being that diabetes impairs functioning of the white blood cells. Hence, there's less protection against bacteria, which in turn leads to higher risk of periodontal diseases that are due to bacterial infection. Moreover, diabetes can also lead to dry mouth or even a burning sensation of the mouth or tongue.
Osteoporosis
One may experience osteoporosis and tooth loss simultaneously because both of them result due to lack of calcium in the body and also due to reduction in the bone mineral density. The result of the same may be an increased risk of hip and other fractures, and also adverse affects on one's jawbone and teeth. This might explain why women, post menopause are far more prone to tooth loss.
Speaking of women, oral problems may be seen during puberty, pregnancy and during the monthly period. That's because during this time, certain hormone levels go up, thereby stimulating inflammatory mediators, making them more responsive to oral bacteria. Hence, a dental check-up during those times of the month may not be a bad idea after all.
Heart Disease
In a study conducted, researchers compared the oral health of almost 250 people suffering from a cardiac disorder to those who had a healthy heart. The study indicated that the most prominent sign of a heart disorder lied in the mouth. Most of the candidates in the study reported an infection around the third molar, better known as pericoronitis, followed by root remnants (where teeth decay to the point when only their tip remains).
Premature Birth
Research has proved that women who suffer from gum diseases during pregnancy are also seven times more susceptible to premature birth as compared to mothers who maintain a good oral health. Moreover, the risk increases even more as the intensity of the gum diseases increases.
The logic being that periodontal diseases lead to certain chemicals being released in the woman's bloodstream that later affects the baby's birth weight and also the delivery at large. So, if you are an expecting mom, visit your dentist right away. Removal of plaque and tartar reduces gum problems and hence, reduce the risk of a premature delivery.
Other Disorders
Leukemia
It may lead to deep red gums and inflammation.
Bulimia
When you binge, there's more than normal acid creation in the mouth, which is very harmful. It affects the tooth enamel, especially on the sides. Bulimics also complain a higher frequency of cavities.
Iron & Vitamin deficiency
Deficiency of iron in the body can lead to sores at the corners of the mouth. Moreover, the taste buds may become smaller. Sore tongue may also be seen. If you are suffereing from Vitamin C deficiency, it may cause the gums to get bruised or bleed easily. A far more serious deficiency may also lead to tooth loss. Vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of jaw fracture and other gum diseases manifold.
We visit senior citizen homes regularly to provide them with basic oral prophylaxis and general dental care which helps them maintain good overall health
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