As caregivers for someone with dentures there are areas of concern to be aware of as well as the actual care of the dentures themselves. If a denture is actually fitting well, then an adhesive is fine to use for stability. However, if the denture is loose fitting, an adhesive that would normally fill in the gaps could lead to tissue damage. Therefore, an examination of their mouth to look and see if there are sores or irritations or if the denture plates are rubbing is very necessary. All of these can be very painful, causing bleeding and sores to form. When this happens, the majority of senior's will simply stop eating much and change their diet, which puts them at risk for nutritional concerns.
Caregiver Tips
As caregivers to our elderly family members or other senior adults, we need to feel comfortable in inspecting their mouth. It's not always a pleasant task and it is invasive, but it is very necessary. If you are being met with resistance in any way, please enlist help as it is so important that they receive the appropriate care in this area for their health and nutrition. Ensuring care and healthy treatment of our senior's teeth helps ensure and keep their whole body healthy and that is the mission!
Senior dentures need just as with their natural teeth cleaned every day with a soft bristle brush especially for dentures. This helps remove all the debris and plaque and with seniors it is especially important to rinse off as soon as possible after eating.
Remember to put a towel down to clean the dentures, as you do not want to break them and when cleaning do not use toothpaste as it is very abrasive and will damage their dentures. Also, as a reminder do not use bleach for stain removal as it will often discolor the portion of the denture that is pink for the gum area.
Extra Tips to Keep in Mind
It is not necessary to purchase a dental cleanser, all that is needed is mild dishwashing liquid for the cleaning. You can use an ultrasonic cleaner but, not necessary if you do not forget to do a daily brushing for debris removal.
It is vital to keep the mouth of the senior's gums along with their tongue and palate brushed with a soft cloth as well. This will keep any possible irritants free from their mouth before putting dentures back in. As a reminder, if a denture adhesive is needed and being used, use only a minimum amount and very important to remove any that might be left.
If you have concerns about your senior family member's dentures or any other oral health issues for them or yourself, please do not hesitate to call the office. We are here to help in any way that we can.
Office Hours
Monday-Thursday:
9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Friday:
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Professional cleanings Mon, Wed, Thurs: 7:30 am - 4:30 pm
Dental Implant Center at Walnut Creek: Blog Dr. Keith and Dr. Petrini have been proudly serving the Grater Bay Area community for many years and pride themselves on performing excellent services in general dentistry and dental implants. Dental Implant Center at Walnut Creek, 1111 Civic Drive, Suite 320 Walnut Creek, CA 94596 ~ (925) 266-3550 ~ implantcenterwc.com ~ 9/19/2024 ~ Page Keywords: dental implants Walnut Creek CA ~
As caregivers for someone with dentures there are areas of concern to be aware of as well as the actual care of the dentures themselves. If a denture is actually fitting well, then an adhesive is fine to use for stability. However, if the denture is loose fitting, an adhesive that would normally fill in the gaps could lead to tissue damage. Therefore, an examination of their mouth to look and see if there are sores or irritations or if the denture plates are rubbing is very necessary. All of these can be very painful, causing bleeding and sores to form. When this happens, the majority of senior's will simply stop eating much and change their diet, which puts them at risk for nutritional concerns.
