4 Reasons Why Seniors Should Consider Using a Water Flosser
Posted on: 12 December 2022
It can become harder to maintain good oral health as you get older, and yet it's vital to do so. The body becomes less resilient as you age, which means issues such as infections can become more serious. Additionally, older teeth are likely to be weaker than younger teeth.
As such, it makes sense for seniors to take advantage of water flossers. Like traditional string floss, water flossers are used to keep the areas between teeth healthy, but they use a jet of water to do that instead of string or tape. They offer a wide range of benefits for people of all ages, but here are just four reasons why they're often particularly great for seniors.
1. Easy to Hold
One of the reasons seniors often find it hard to maintain good oral health is that properly holding and using a toothbrush and floss can become trickier as the body ages. You're likely to experience a decrease in dexterity, and issues such as arthritis can make it painful to use those more traditional oral care tools. String floss can be particularly hard to use, but things are much easier with a water flossing. Large handles are comfortable to hold, and slowly moving the jet of water around your mouth is much easier than moving string floss back and forth.
2. Gentle on the Gums
Gums tend to become irritated more easily during old age. Unfortunately, this often makes using string floss uncomfortable, and the direct contact may make irritation even worse. Water flossers are ideal since they provide a way to clean the areas around your teeth without having to place too much pressure on the gums. The jet of water will be strong enough to maintain good oral health, but not strong enough to cause irritation.
3. Great for Cleaning Dentures and Bridges
Older people are more likely than younger ones to have dentures and bridges, and water flossers help keep them clean. Water can easily reach the space under bridges to remove plaque and food particles that might otherwise be missed. Additionally, water flossers provide an ideal way to clean dentures to prevent any unhealthy build-ups across their surfaces.
4. Good at Cleaning Deep Pockets
Many older people will have had teeth extracted, which can leave pockets in the gums in which bacteria, food particles, and plaque can develop. Such areas can be very hard to reach using traditional oral care tools. However, you can use a water flosser to easily clean them out and maintain good oral health.
Contact a dentist to learn more.
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