Elderly people should not be careless in oral hygiene

According to the World Health Organization, the goal of oral health for elderly people is to "maintain at least 20 functional teeth, maintain the most basic oral functional state, or recover oral function as much as possible through minimal restoration." Dr. Xia Yang from the Second Outpatient Department of Jiangsu Provincial Stomatological Hospital pointed out that to achieve this goal, it is recommended that elderly people should do a good job in oral health care from the following aspects.
Firstly, we need to eliminate some misconceptions about oral health. Some people believe that 'people are old and toothless' is common sense. However, a large number of facts have proven that most elderly people's teeth become loose and fall off due to diseases such as periodontal disease, dental caries, especially root caries. As long as oral diseases are prevented and treated in a timely manner, good oral hygiene habits are developed, and scientific oral health care methods are mastered, one can have a healthy set of teeth for life.
Secondly, it is necessary to improve one's own oral health care ability. Develop good oral hygiene habits, master the correct chewing methods, apply basic oral health knowledge, and break bad habits. Adhere to brushing your teeth in the morning and evening every day, and brush your teeth carefully and carefully on all sides. Choose a toothbrush with soft and elastic bristles. Choosing fluoride toothpaste can prevent root caries. Don't brush your teeth too rough and forcefully. Slowly rotate the brush vertically along the gaps between your teeth to avoid horizontal brushing and prevent wedge-shaped defects that can cause dentin hypersensitivity. Elderly people have wide gaps and loose teeth, which can easily cause food debris to accumulate between their teeth after eating. It is recommended to use a gap brush or floss to remove plaque on adjacent and root surfaces. Both teeth should be used alternately during chewing. Every morning, before waking up and going to bed, insist on doing mutual tapping between the upper and lower teeth, about 50 times per time, 2 times per day. You can also massage the gums with your cleaned thumb and index finger in a certain direction, each time for about 10 minutes, to promote blood circulation and prevent gum atrophy. It's best for smokers to quit smoking.
Thirdly, it is necessary to actively restore the basic functions of the oral cavity. If a tooth is missing, leave it missing and try to wait for all the teeth to fall out before inserting a full mouth. This will significantly reduce chewing ability, affect digestion and nutrient absorption, and accelerate the loosening and detachment of adjacent teeth, affecting language function and facial features. Therefore, it is necessary to promptly repair missing teeth to reduce the chewing burden on the remaining teeth and restore the basic function of the oral cavity.
Fourthly, attention should be paid to mucosal diseases. Seek medical attention promptly after discovering ulcers in the oral cavity that have not healed for more than two weeks, hardening of the oral mucosa, white or red plaques, and discomfort symptoms such as toothache and gum bleeding. If the oral mucosa is subjected to long-term adverse stimulation or has a bad habit of smoking or drinking, it is easy to develop oral leukoplakia and even oral cancer.
Therefore, early prevention, elimination of adverse stimuli, and abstinence from smoking and drinking habits are necessary. Once symptoms of the disease occur, timely medical attention should be sought to achieve early detection, diagnosis, and treatment. Finally, regular oral health checks should be conducted. Once every six months, including inspection, cleaning, etc., promptly handle any problems found.