Alzheimer’s And Its Effect On Oral Health

For older adults, one of the leading causes of immobility is that of dementia.  Dementia is a neurodegenerative disease that can significantly affect the ability of the elderly to perform the most basic of their daily activities.

Although research continues on the disease, at this time , Alzheimer's has no known specific cause.  What is known is that the average age for those with onset Alzheimer's is usually 65 years of age or above.

It is vital that all individuals work to maintain good oral health, and the elderly are no exception.  Oral health can play a vital part in the overall physical health of any individual.  When proper oral health is neglected, it allows the development of dental diseases that can be difficult and expensive to treat.

The making and keeping of regular examination appointments are essential to be maintained for interventions into any problems that may occur will be able to be handled early on.  As those with Alzheimer's progress to the middle and later stages of the disease, maintaining proper oral health can become somewhat challenging and daunting at best.

Those elderly in the stages of dementia and Alzheimer's are prone to forgetting to care for their teeth, or they lose interest altogether.  This forgetfulness or disinterest is where caretakers and health workers within the community would better serve the individuals by stepping up and taking over the task.

In most instances, the oral health of those individuals who have Alzheimer's can be significantly worse than those that are not suffering from dementia.  So, what is the best approach to ensuring that those affected are maintaining the best oral health care possible?

Daily Care

In the earlier stages of Alzheimer's, the individual's dental care should focus mainly on prevention.  Making appointments and keeping them along with daily brushing and flossing of teeth can go a long way to head of any potential problems down the line, at a time when the individual may be less able to tolerate most dental procedures.

There are a few tips that will help make the process easier on the individual as well as the caregiver:

Don't simply say, "brush your teeth."  For someone with Alzheimer's, this can seem a little vague.  Instead, walk them through the steps, with wording such as "hold the toothbrush," "put toothpaste on the brush", and finally "brush your teeth."

You could also try to help them understand by showing them how to brush their teeth.  You can also perform this technique by putting your hand over theirs and guiding them as they brush their teeth.

It is important to note that you may want to take a break or even revisit the brushing later on in the day if the individual becomes upset or agitated.

Switch out and try different types of toothbrushes.  Experimenting with the various bristles will usually find that a soft-bristled brush tends to work much better than a firm bristled one.  Don’t be afraid to try different brushes, but you might want to steer clear of electronic brushes as these can sometimes confuse and scare the individual.

Finally, you should perform flossing on a daily basis.  This step can prove to be difficult for those individuals with Alzheimer's.  If you find that using traditional floss is difficult, you may want to change out and try using a floss pick instead.

Taking the time to find a dentist with experience with dementia or Alzheimer's will aid in making the whole process that much easier on both the individual and the caregive.  And it is vital to maintain regular dental appointments for as long as is possible.