Vancouver Senior Home Care | April 9, 2018
Senior Dental Hygiene | April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month! Now is the time to educate seniors and older adults on the most common dental concerns that can cause or lead to oral cancer, with tips about how seniors can achieve healthy teeth and gums.
Oral cancer is a serious dental illness and can occur anywhere in the mouth or throat area of the body. Seniors with oral cancer often have difficulty chewing or swallowing, have jaw swelling, or might have lumps, sores, or irritations on the mouth, lip, or throat, or white or red patches in the mouth.
Common dental concerns for seniors include darkened teeth, gum disease, loss of sense of taste, dry mouth, root decay, loss of or missing teeth, and an uneven jawbone. If left unchecked, these symptoms can lead to or be an indicator of oral cancer.
Fortunately, practicing good oral hygiene habits can reduce symptoms and prevent oral cancer and other oral conditions. In addition to daily brushing and flossing, seniors should visit their dentist for an oral exam bi-annually, at the very least.
Seniors can expect a dental hygienist’s cleaning and a dentist’s examination during a dental visit.
Dental Hygienist: During a cleaning, the hygienist will remove any plaque and tartar, brush the teeth with a high-powered toothbrush, and floss the teeth in all areas. A hygienist can also provide seniors with oral hygiene advice.
Dentist: After cleaning, a dentist will perform the oral exam. During an oral exam, older adults will be asked questions that relate to changes in their mouth, loose or sensitive teeth, challenges with swallowing or chewing, lumps, bumps, or swellings in their mouth, and pain or discomfort.
If your loved one needs assistance with the upkeep of their dental hygiene, our home care services can help. Our caregivers assist with this as well as other general health maintenance.
Comfort Keepers® is the preferred choice for many families when arranging senior home care services for a loved one in or around Vancouver.
If you are concerned about the health and well-being of your aging loved ones we can help with Respite Care, Overnight Care, Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care, End of Life Care, and much more!
Trained caregivers help provide senior clients with the highest quality of life possible to keep them happy and healthy at home. Our Interactive Caregiving™ delivers a system of care that addresses safety, nutrition, mind, body, and activities of daily living (ADLs).
Our philosophy is to elevate the human spirit and our caregivers will be there every step of the way to ensure your loved one has a better quality of life. Personal and empathetic care is care that starts in the heart, and it allows us to meet our client’s exact needs.
Learn more about our unique service which offers personal care, companionship care, palliative care, and end-of-life care by contacting the Comfort Keepers® Vancouver office.
We are proud to provide home care throughout Vancouver that keeps seniors safe in their homes. We provide home care for the seniors of Vancouver and the surrounding areas of Burnaby, Langley, Maple Ridge, and Richmond please call (604) 689-8609.
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