In the last blog post, we talked about the importance of maintaining good oral health for older adults. To continue our celebration of Older Americans Month in May, I wanted to share a couple of tips that will help you maintain a healthy oral care routine, for denture-wearers and non denture-wearers alike.

• Visit your dentist for regular hygiene checkups. The need for regular visits to your dentist doesn’t go away when you wear dentures — even patients who have no natural teeth and wear full dentures should have their mouth examined annually. In addition to checking for signs of gum disease or oral cancer, the other reason it is so important for denture-wearers to have regular checkups is to ensure proper denture fit, since a change in the fit of dentures could indicate other underlying issues.

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush (unless otherwise specified by your dentist) and rinse with mouthwash. Brushing helps remove food and plaque on both natural teeth and dentures. It also helps prevent development of permanent stains. Floss your teeth to remove plaque, including below the gum line where your toothbrush can’t reach. Denture-wearers should clean their gums to avoid plaque build-up that can irritate the tissue under dentures, and thoroughly clean dentures at night to avoid bacteria growth.

• If you wear full or partial denture and use denture cream/adhesive, use the correct amount. If you experience discomfort or if you are using more than one tube of denture cream every three weeks, your dentures may not fit properly and should be evaluated. Visit your dentist to see if they need to be adjusted or replaced.

• Tell your dentist about any medical conditions, recent operations, allergies, and medications you may be taking, or changes to your medications. This will avoid any potential adverse interactions with the medications that your dentist may prescribe. Plus, more than 400 commonly used medications can cause dry mouth – and reduction of the flow of saliva increases the risk for oral disease.

• Know the warning signs that indicate your mouth may be at risk of infection. Check for red, swollen, bleeding gums when you brush. If you have these symptoms, see a dentist, as these may be signs of gingivitis.

• Alert your dentist immediately if you notice red or white patches on your gums, cheeks or tongue, sores that fail to heal within two weeks, or an unusual hard spot on the side of your tongue. These may be signs of oral cancer that should be quickly examined by your dentist.

© 2012, Arwinder Judge, DDS. All rights reserved.