There are many reasons why seniors don’t brush their teeth, but the most common ones include feeling confused, forgetting to do it, and not knowing how. You want to make sure that your senior is brushing their teeth on a regular basis, but you may find it challenging to get them to do this. While it can be hard to get your older loved one to follow through with their oral hygiene routine, you can try different things until you find something that works. Here are some tips for getting them to brush their teeth:
Talking With Your Senior About Brushing Their Teeth
If you want to motivate your seniors to brush their teeth more often, you may find it helpful to talk with them about it. You can explain that brushing is something that they should do every day and that they need to make sure that their teeth look nice and feel good. Addressing their concerns and fears will help you get through to them and show them how important this task is.
Have a Schedule and Stick To It
One of the best ways to make sure that your senior is brushing their teeth is by putting them on a schedule. Taking this task away from your loved ones will make it less likely that they forget to do it or don’t feel like doing it. You can set up the same time every day for brushing their teeth, and you should enforce this routine. It doesn’t matter what time of day works best for you, but if you want to get them into a routine, it should be done at the same time every day. This makes it more likely that they will actually do it.
Brush With Them
This way, you can show them how you brush your teeth and what techniques work best. If they have questions, this is a great time to answer them. You can also offer them advice on what kind of toothbrush they should be using and which brands they use. They may enjoy watching you do this, so it could motivate them to brush their teeth more often.
Offer Rewards for Brushing Their Teeth
Seniors may not like brushing their teeth, but they usually do it because it’s the right thing to do. If you can motivate them by offering a reward for doing this task, this will create an incentive to brush their teeth. Your senior may like getting positive attention from people, seeing how happy you are when they brush their teeth. You can offer many rewards for brushing their teeth, and you should try different ones until you find the right one for your loved one.
Make Sure They Have the Right Toothbrush
Not all toothbrushes are created equal, and you should make sure that your senior has a good toothbrush to brush their teeth with. There is a wide variety of different models and shapes that your loved one can choose from. If you’re not sure which one is best for your senior, then talk to their dentist. They should recommend a toothbrush that will work well for them and help them brush their teeth better.
Home Care Assistance Can Help Senior to Brush Their Teeth
Home care assistance services are in-home care provider agencies that have helped thousands of seniors maintain their independence. They can help your seniors to brush their teeth and provide them with quality care at home. Home care assistance service providers are the experts in non-medical, customized in-home care that seniors need to achieve optimal well-being. Home care assistance caregivers are available 24/7 and can provide your loved one with personal care, companionship, and other services, including medication reminders, meal preparation, light housekeeping, laundry & more.
Conclusion
Getting your senior to brush their teeth doesn’t have to be difficult if you choose the right way of motivating them. Home care assistance providers can help your loved one brush their teeth, and having a daily schedule for brushing teeth makes it more likely that they will do it regularly. Give us a call today and learn how we can help your seniors with their oral hygiene care needs.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering home care assistance in Glen Head, NY please contact the caring staff at Karing Hearts Agency Corp. today. (631)366-KARE(5273)
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Oral hygiene for the elderly
