Dental Emergencies Seniors Face

While many people associate dental emergencies with children, seniors often face these concerns as well. Seniors may be prone to different types of dental emergencies than children, but dental issues can impact them just as severely. If you have a senior in your home or are a senior yourself, it pays to understand the risks of dental emergencies like these.

Seniors may suddenly have more cavities in their teeth than they have ever had, and medications could be to blame. If your loved one complains of intense dental pain, he or she may have cavities in spite of the fact that they have never been particularly prone to them. In fact, you might not even realize that this is the cause of the problem because your loved one has never expressed dental pain before.

One reason for the sudden change could be medication for issues like pain, cholesterol, blood pressure, and allergies. Certain medications seniors take can cause dry mouth. Saliva helps wash away bacteria in the mouth, but dry mouth prevents saliva from doing its job.

You may not typically associate dental pain with an emergency, but for seniors these issues become a bigger issue. Plaque on your teeth may actually have an influence on heart health and certain health conditions, like diabetes.

A tooth abscess is an infection in the gums, especially surrounding the root of a tooth. An abscess can be deadly if left untreated, so seniors should take abscesses seriously. Plus, abscesses are painful. Additionally, a dental infection could leave you more susceptible to heart issues, which can grow more serious with age.

A senior who falls may lose a tooth, and perhaps it may even pop out of the socket entirely. A traumatic tooth injury can lead to permanent tooth loss, painful roots, and even infection.

If a senior loses a tooth, he or she should first put the tooth in a place where it can stay moist, unless you can place the tooth back in the socket. Some people put the tooth between the teeth and cheek, perhaps surrounded by milk to best preserve the tooth. The next step is go to the emergency dentist right away.

Seniors, who may be more prone to falls, may also crack a tooth in a fall. Cracks commonly occur if somebody hits a tooth against the ground. Cracks and chips may also result if you try to open a container with your teeth or chew something hard, like a candy or popcorn kernel.

Cracks and chips can be serious, so they are a dental emergency. Seniors who crack a tooth should make an emergency dental appointment as quickly as possible. In the meantime, rinse the area with warm water and place a cold compress on your face, since it may begin to swell.

A fall can also lead to a jaw injury in addition to broken bones, dislocation, or joint damage. If a senior complains of jaw pain after a fall, a dentist may perform an x-ray to determine if you have any cracks in your jaw.

If you discover a filling or crown has fallen out of place, you need to make an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible. In the meantime, try to keep the area covered with the detached crown or a piece of sugar-free gum in the case of a filling.

Eastland & Professional Dental Center understands the needs of each of our dental patients. Whether you yourself or a senior loved one needs assistance with dental care, give us a call. We can help seniors recover from dental setbacks quickly and with a minimum of pain.