What Kind of Special Consideration do the Elderly Need?

Your Bay Shore NY general dentist discusses the importance of elderly patients receiving dental treatment.

When it comes to dental care, elderly patients need a lot of special consideration because of their potential inability to complete certain tasks. As they get older, some patients may not have the proper motor skills that they used to, so they could have trouble brushing and flossing their teeth. They could have trouble with other factors, as well, including eyesight trouble, movitation, availability to certain resources, and more.

One of the most prominent issues that elderly patients run into is medication and their side effects. There are some patients who take a large amount of medications to improve their overall health and lower risks, but some of the side effects could harm their teeth and gums. A popular side effect for many medications is dry mouth, where the salivary glands in your mouth aren't making enough saliva to keep your mouth wet.

Elderly patients visiting the dentist is extremely important because we'll be able to address these issues and others. Help from family members can be crucial to their oral and dental care to ensure that their smile is being taken care of. If these elderly patients aren't able to properly brush or floss their teeth, if they're in pain, if they're unable to enjoy the foods they used to because of pain, or other issues that aren't listed, then a visit to the dentist could be the best solution.

No matter what age you are, Dr. Antenucci doesn't want any patient to shy away from dental care. There is no age limit on dental treatment! All patients deserve a healthy and happy smile and we want to make it a priority for you. To schedule an appointment with Bay Dental Health, contact our office today at (631) 655-8484.