As you get older, it becomes harder to keep your mouth healthy, but it’s more important than ever to do so. Older people can quickly get worse dental problems, and they often don’t notice them, especially if they have trouble moving around, a long-term illness, or cognitive decline.
Caregivers play a crucial role in spotting early warning signs and ensuring timely dental care from a dentist for dental emergencies. This is even more important as more than half of older Australians skip dental treatment.
Not taking care of older people’s teeth doesn’t just make their smile look bad. Heart disease, complications from diabetes, malnutrition, and respiratory infections are all serious issues that have been linked to poor dental health. Unfortunately, many older people don’t tell their dentist about pain until it gets really bad.
Here are six signs of bad oral health that carers should always pay attention to.
1. Pain or sensitivity in the mouth that doesn’t go away
Getting older shouldn’t mean having pain in your mouth that doesn’t go away. If an older person often says their teeth hurt, their jaw hurts, or they are sensitive to hot or cold foods, it could be a sign of tooth decay, cracked teeth, gum disease, or infections.
Many older people downplay their pain or have trouble explaining it clearly, especially those who have dementia. Look for signs that aren’t obvious, like:
- not wanting to eat
- Flinching when brushing
- Rubbing the jaw or face
If you don’t take care of your toothache, it could get worse and spread to other parts of your body, where it could cause serious health problems. If the pain doesn’t go away after a day or two, call to set up a mobile dental check-up.
Also, don’t just take painkillers; they might hide the symptoms while the problem gets worse.
2. Gums that are bleeding, swollen, or going back
People often think that bleeding gums aren’t a big deal, but they are one of the first signs of gum disease. Signs that something is wrong include swelling, redness, tenderness, or gums pulling away from the teeth.
Seniors are more likely to get gum disease or periodontal disease because they have had plaque build up for years, have dry mouths, and find it hard to keep their mouths clean. It can lead to tooth loss and has been linked to heart disease, stroke, and worse diabetes control when it gets worse.
You should always check the gums as part of your daily oral care if you are a carer. Make an appointment with the dentist if the bleeding or swelling doesn’t go away. Getting treatment early can stop damage that can’t be fixed.
3. Teeth that are loose or dentures that don’t fit well
Adults’ teeth should never feel loose. If an older person says their teeth feel loose, move around when they chew, or their dentures suddenly don’t fit right, this could mean they have advanced gum disease, an infection, or bone loss.
Dentures that rub, slip, or give you sores can also hurt your mouth, give you ulcers, and make it hard to eat.
In these situations, loose teeth make it more likely that someone will choke or get an infection, and dentures that don’t fit well can cause malnutrition because they make it harder to eat.
If you’re taking care of an older person, you should always pay attention to how their dentures fit. If you need to fix, reline, or replace your dentures, or if you have any other dental problems, make an emergency appointment.
4. A strange taste or bad breath that won’t go away
It’s normal to have bad breath once in a while, but if you always have bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth, it could be a sign of a serious problem. These could be gum disease, infections in the teeth, a dry mouth, or dentures that weren’t cleaned well.
Older people who take a lot of medicines are more likely to have a dry mouth, which makes it harder for saliva to kill bacteria. This can lead to bad breath that lasts for a long time, which is often a sign of an infection and can get worse quickly if not treated.
As part of your daily oral hygiene, make sure to brush your tongue and clean your dentures well. If your breath still smells bad after brushing and flossing, you should see a dentist to find out what’s wrong.
5. Problems with chewing, swallowing, or eating
An older person may not eat certain foods, eat more slowly, or say that chewing hurts because they have dental problems like cavities, broken teeth, gum disease, or problems with their dentures.
Older people may not say they’re in pain, but they might change what they eat, like by skipping meals or eating softer foods.
Not being able to eat can make you lose weight, make your immune system weaker, and make you more likely to get sick and take longer to get better.
Pay close attention to what you eat. You should see a dentist right away if you notice that your appetite or ability to chew has changed. This will keep it from getting worse.
6. White or red patches, lumps, or sores in the mouth
If sores, ulcers, lumps, or patches in your mouth don’t go away after two weeks, you should never ignore them. These can happen because of:
- Dentures that don’t fit well
- Infections in the mouth
It is very rare to get oral cancer. People over 50 are more likely to get oral cancer, especially if they have a history of smoking or drinking. Finding oral cancer early makes treatment work much better.
As part of your oral care, check your mouth often. See a dentist or doctor right away if you have sores that won’t go away or changes that don’t make sense.
Last Thoughts: Improve the Health of Seniors’ Teeth
Everyone should take care of their teeth, but older people should pay extra attention. Carers are in a unique position to see early signs of serious dental problems.
By paying attention to these six signs of poor oral health and acting quickly, carers can help keep the seniors in their care comfortable, dignified, and healthy. This will help you avoid pain, infections, and other serious health issues.
If you’re not sure, remember this: if something looks, feels, or smells strange, you should call a dentist right away. Early action can make a big difference and help your loved one get better overall.
