Dentists Should Be Gentle And Careful With Their Patients When Providing Oral Care
If their dentist is perceived as being uncaring of his patient's comfort
, many senior citizens will fail to schedule regular office visits. This reason actually ranked higher than the cost of going to the dentist as to why elderly people did not visit their dentist as often as they should.
Studies have been conducted about this older part of the population and their dental habits and attitudes.
These results showed that older people want to visit a dentist who listens to the person, and will explain to them how they are doing, and what they need to be doing to better take care of their mount. If we want to promote proper dental hygiene and care in the elderly, then we need to attend to this issue.
The entire industry of dental care needs to alter the way that it approaches senior citizens in an effort to make larger improvements throughout the health care system.
Many older patients would have their own daunting story of visits to the dentist. One such tale of terror came from a woman of advanced age who, while a tooth was extracted, was instructed by her dentist to just swallow her own blood! This woman refused to do this and panicked, quickly returning home and spending the rest of her life with dentures instead.
Very few people truly enjoy a trip to the dentist. It's important to find a dental office that makes you feel secure and relaxed, regardless of how old you are.
The key is communication, studies have found that older patients trust dentists who communicate dearly with them.
Telling an elderly patient what to expect will help them feel more informed. Remember, they spend an increased amount of time in doctors' offices.
Many times they are left feeling that the medical professionals that serve them do not take the time to communicate what is going on. And when it comes to a person's mouth or teeth, the more information the better.
The older generation will generally only go to the dentist when they experience oral pain. A startling statistic, however, is that only about 8% of the elderly have dental pain which forces them to go in, while 64% suffer from problems which remain untreated.
The only way to correct this problem is through educating the dentists and seniors alike.
One thing you should know is that all of the research being done about how dentists work with their patients is not specifically directed at how they treat seniors. You can extrapolate this information to apply to people from all generations, from any background, no matter where they live.
The bottom line of the studies is that everyone wants and anticipates the dentist and his or her staff to treat them politely and kindly because anyone working in the dental care field should be aware of the fear with which people come to the dentist.
It is for THIS MAIN REASON that people everywhere, and of all ages, are FAR LESS LIKELY to see a dentists until they are in EXTREME AGONY! Convincing people to come into the office for their scheduled appointments depends on a good rapport between themselves and their dentist. Let's face it - a "caregiver" that doesn't genuinely care for his patients is utterly USELESS!
The key to improvement is positive reinforcement from the entire community's collective efforts to help make a positive difference in the whole dental care system. People need to know about it, which will take a significant effort by politicians and civic leaders.
Starting from the time when they are children, people of all ages should be exposed to the message of how critical it is to receive proper dental care.
Many recent studies have shown the impact of poor dental health on the overall health of an individual. When taking care of our mouths, we should make our checkups as routine as those we get from our primary care doctors.
Retired folks would like to remain vital into their golden years and would surely agree with this conclusion.
It will certainly put a smile on your face when an 80 year old gentleman shows off his "pearly whites!" Happy that she hasn't lost many, she owes it all to finding a dentist that treats her right. Every dentist should be actively pursuing a higher level of comfort and sensitivity when dealing with their patients.
by: John Chambers
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Dentists Should Be Gentle And Careful With Their Patients When Providing Oral Care