Arthritis can make caring for your teeth difficult. Learn steps you can take to make this a little easier.
Until you have arthritis, you cannot understand the completely debilitating nature of this common disease. A little bit of pain in the hands does not seam as though it would keep you from performing your normal duties, but the sad fact that many with this condition know is that it does. One of the hardest things for them to do is to brush their teeth, simply because they cannot grasp the toothbrush. Flossing is out of the question. For those who suffer from arthritis, there are solutions.
Talk to your dentist about adapting your toothbrush so you can hold it better. You can make the grip thicker by inserting the handle into a soft rubber ball or even a fat sponge roller for your hair. A bicycle grip can be glued to the handle as well. Sometimes the length is a problem for those who cannot lift their hands as high anymore. You can glue your toothbrush to something long, like a ruler or tongue depressor.
Flossing is another problem. Instead of wrangling dental floss, incised using a dental floss pick. If these are too small, find one that you can load dental floss onto yourself, and then adapt it as you would a toothbrush. You may have to ask someone else to load on the floss, but you will still maintain dignity by doing the act of flossing on your own.
Electric options can also help seniors dealing with dexterity issues. A water pick may be able to replace floss, and an electric toothbrush can help with better oral care. Remember, even though you have arthritis, you still need to work hard to maintain good oral health.
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