Dealing with the elderly requires an understanding of and a sensitivity to the medical, psychological and financial states of these patients. Our Dental care system will have to make changes to address these emerging issues. The traditional educational and practice methods currently in place are based on serving the needs of a healthy and affluent population. An infrastructure that will allow these issues to be addressed will have to be created.
Problems in Dental Care for the Elderly:
Last century has witnessed a number of remarkable demographic changes related to health, diseases, longevity and mortality of the population all over the world. By now one third of the world’s elderly population is living in the developing countries and one out of twelve persons in the developing countries is over sixty five. As per the Government of India’s classification, the elderly are those who are 60 years of age and above; these citizens become eligible for varied concessions offered by the government and other agencies.
Financial constraints and lack of family support or of transportation facilities affect access to dental services in later life. The untreated oral cavity has its deleterious effects on comfort, aesthetics, speech, mastication and, consequently, on quality of life in old age.
What Happens to the Teeth when you age:
One common misconception is that losing your teeth is inevitable. This is not true. If cared for properly, your teeth can last a lifetime.
Your mouth changes as you age. The nerves in the teeth can become smaller, making the teeth less sensitive to cavities or other problems. If the elderly don’t get regular dental exams, this in turn can lead to these problems not being diagnosed until it is too late.
If you want to feel good, stay healthy, and look great throughout life, you might be surprised what a difference a healthy mouth makes.
How to Care for the Elderly:
When you’re caring for someone who is confined to bed, they may have so many health problems that it’s easy to forget about oral health. However, it’s still very important because bacteria from the mouth can be inhaled into the lungs and cause pneumonia.
Lack of awareness & insufficient Dental Experts for Geriatric Care has resulted in a decrease in the number of elders seeking Dental help. Ensure that the elders in your family & the ones around you are taken care of well. The mouth will certainly be the keystone for a long and healthy life!
