What is that one distinct memory you have of your Grandparents? Do you remember their ghost stories or do you remember stories about their pre-independence struggle and village life? While you must be remembering these stories, we also know that you have a memory clinched in your mind of your grandparent’s mouth with no/crooked teeth and the difficulty they had in chewing their favorite food.
Like general health, oral health tends to decline with age. The teeth become affected by normal wear and tear, the oral mucosa gets thin, the tongue becomes smooth, and the mouth itself gets more susceptible to infections. But while oral health decline is to be expected, there’s no reason to ignore it, there’s all the more reason to take care of it.
Key Oral Health Statistics
India is not exactly known for its great oral health. We can show the numbers and stats here to daunt you, but that’s not what our motto is, you can always google for the various study’s results and data. What we want to focus on is there are several barriers to poor oral health figures in India as a whole. Top among them is lack of awareness of the need for oral health, which is not given as much importance as general health; lack of proper access to dental care; high cost of dental treatments; and varied quality of these treatments.
Dental Bee: Enabling In-home Treatments for the Elderly
Dental Bee, an initiative of ITS Dental Hospital, Greater Noida, is revolutionizing dental care for the elderly in Delhi NCR. It provides at-home dental services through a convenient on-call booking system.
Powered by ITS Hospital’s long legacy of 25 years, Dental Bee gives patients access to more than 100 experienced dentists with each specializing in a particular field of dentistry. These include:
- Scaling
- Restoration
- Fluoride application
- Root canal treatment
- Crowns and bridges
- Dental x-rays
- Teeth whitening
- Braces
COVID-19 Safety
Dental Bee was set up to bridge the gap between dental care solutions and patients’ needs by introducing doorstep dentist service at the time of the pandemic. All dental treatments are undertaken by experienced doctors with proper sterilization of instruments and strict COVID-19 protocols followed at all times.
Benefits of Dental Bee’s At-home Dental Care Services
Home dental care is not typically widely available, especially in India, which is why the Dental Bee initiative is significant. While the services are available for different age groups, they are particularly beneficial for senior citizens. Bringing Dental Care to the Physically Impaired Senior citizens can suffer from a range of ailments, whether it’s joint issues, mobility problems, visual impairment, faulty memory, etc. Oral health may not always be on their top list of priorities and even if it is, they may have trouble maintaining it.
With Dental Bee’s at-home dental services, senior citizens can consult with dentists, have their queries answered, and get their oral health checked and issues treated. This is especially useful for individuals who live alone and who don’t have anyone to help them follow good oral health practices.
Ensuring Oral Health for Homebound Individuals
With age, senior citizens may have difficulty driving or finding transport to take them to a dental clinic. By bringing oral care treatments to their homes, Dental Bee can provide the help they need. The easy on-the-call booking system provides autonomy while the free WhatsApp consultation means that they can directly connect with one of the many dentists available. They can then make an appointment for a home visit and get the care they need – all the while benefiting from the strict COVID-19 safety protocols that Dental Bee follows at all times.
Meeting Dental Care Needs of Individuals with Dementia
Mental faculties can diminish with age and for senior citizens with dementia, dental care can often be ignored. Even with someone to assist them at home with daily care, they need professional treatments for dental issues that can’t be addressed by a layperson. Often, visiting a dental clinic can be unsettling as the new environment is unfamiliar.
Dental Bee can step in by liaising with family members or home nursing service providers to deliver treatments to people with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other mental impairments. For such patients, being in the comfort of home while receiving dental care is reassuring and improves quality of life.
Prevention of Periodontitis
Many senior citizens have periodontal disease caused by build-up of plaque, which then irritates the gums and causes inflammation. If left untreated, it can lead to loss of bone surrounding the teeth and tooth loss.
By availing Dental Bee’s at-home service, senior citizens can get checked and treated for this common but life-altering condition. They can consult with the dentists to learn more about oral care and how to prevent periodontal disease in the first place.
Lower Healthcare Costs
Dental care, especially for severe oral conditions, can be expensive which is why dentists advocate routine care from an early age. Dental issues that become serious also require multiple revisits that only increases costs. In addition, poor dental health may contribute to general health conditions like heart disease and pneumonia, further pushing up healthcare costs.
By not letting the current pandemic come in the way of dental care, senior citizens can continue to enjoy good oral health via Dental Bee’s home services. Through virtual consultations with dentists who can teach them oral health practices that they can undertake on their own, they can keep a check on healthcare costs.
Improved Nutrition
Loose or missing teeth, periodontal disease, and other oral issues can make eating food difficult. Senior citizens, who usually already have age-related health issues to contend with, need special diets to keep things like blood pressure and sugar under control and maintain heart health. This isn’t possible when eating is a problem.
With dental treatments by Dental Bee’s highly experienced dentists, senior citizens can get loose or missing teeth restored, periodontal disease treated, and overall oral health improved.
Enhanced Confidence
Everyone can do with a boost of confidence, including senior citizens. However, tooth decay, which is common in older adults can rob them of self-esteem, decrease quality of life, and increase financial burden.
By getting timely treatment and learning to prevent future dental issues, senior citizens can smile with confidence, not have to worry about dental discomfort and see reduced healthcare costs. With Dental Bee’s range of affordable treatments and convenient at-home care services – each of them delivered by qualified dental experts – living becomes more stress-free and enjoyable.
