Meniere's Disease and How to Manage It

A registered 501c3 charity, Visiting Ancillary Services strives to provide advanced dental and audiology services to the elderly. Operating for almost a decade, Visiting Ancillary Services utilizes the latest equipment to treat patients with ear disorders like tinnitus and Meniere's disease.

Meniere's disease affects the part of the inner ear responsible for balance. People with the condition experience a spinning sensation, also known as vertigo. Other symptoms include tinnitus, headaches, and episodic hearing loss.

Meniere's disease usually affects patients aged 20 to 50. Despite being a chronic condition, it can still be alleviated via a number of treatment methods, like physical therapy, the use of hearing aids, and surgery.

A change in diet is considered one of the recommended ways to reduce the effects of Meniere's disease. Patients are advised to limit the consumption of salt, caffeine, alcohol, chocolate, and monosodium glutamate (MSG). Doing so will decrease the fluid in the ear believed by scientists to be the cause of Meniere’s disease.

Causes of Age-Related Hearing Loss

Established to bring dental care to patients in nursing homes, Visiting Ancillary Services now offers audiology care. Visiting Ancillary Services uses advanced diagnostic techniques to assess hearing loss in older adults.

Nearly 50 percent of adults over the age of 75 experience hearing loss to some degree. This is largely due to damage or death of the tiny hair cells inside the inner ear that are responsible for sensing sound waves and translating them into nerve signals that the brain can understand.

Aging also causes some changes in the flow of blood to the structures of the ears, just as the brain processes signals of sound and speech differently as a person ages. Any additional damage, either to the structure of the ear or to the neurological process of hearing, can contribute to the degree of hearing loss.

Individuals who have repeated exposure to loud noises, for example, are at a higher risk of age-related hearing loss. People with diabetes or circulatory problems also have an increased risk, as do those who smoke or use certain medications. A family history of hearing loss may be a contributing factor as well.

Gum Disease Risk in Adults Who Are Older

Based in Denver, Colorado, Visiting Ancillary Services brings full-service dental care to patients in nursing homes across the state's northern front range. Using a gentle touch technique geared toward adults who are older, Visiting Ancillary Services works to treat and prevent tooth and gum disease.

According to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, more than 17 percent of adults aged 65 and above have some form of gum disease, which is moderate to severe in approximately 10.5 percent of individuals in that population. The risk is highest among people who are extremely elderly, active smokers, and those with lower education levels and incomes, as well as among individuals who are Hispanic or black.

Gum disease develops when the immune system engages to fight bacteria in the mouth, a process that causes the periodontal tissue to become inflamed. The earliest stage of disease is known as gingivitis and is characterized by gums that red along the edges and prone to bleeding during flossing. Patients often experience no pain, however, and this lack of discomfort is typically what allows the disease to progress.

As inflammation worsens and gums begin to pull away from the teeth, exposing the underlying root, the patient may begin to notice an increased sensitivity to changes in temperature and pressure. Eventually, as the bone disintegrates, the teeth may become loose and ultimately fall out.

Because gum disease is so often difficult to notice until it becomes severe, regular dental care is crucial to its prevention, particularly in adults who are older. In between visits, a regular brushing and flossing routine helps to remove the plaque that can lead to the inflammation of gum tissue.

An Overview of Dry Mouth and Cavities in Seniors

Visiting Ancillary Services in Denver, Colorado, is a not-for-profit organization providing dental and audiology support to seniors. Over the course of nearly eight years, Visiting Ancillary Services (VAS) has established itself as a service provider to more than 70 percent of the region's facilities serving the elderly.

After individuals reach the age of 60, they may notice a number of new health issues developing, including a few dental problems. Some of these issues may take a senior back to the time of their youth, such as an increase in cavities. The most prevalent cause of cavities in seniors is dry mouth, both a normal part of the aging process and a side effect of more than 500 commonly used medications.

For many seniors, avoiding or cutting back on medication is simply not an option, as the medications that can cause dry mouth treat asthma, high blood pressure and cholesterol, allergies, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, and many other conditions. There are, however, a few steps individuals can take in order to minimize the risk of dry mouth and a subsequent occurrence of cavities.

To start, individuals should discuss alternative medication options with their primary care physician. Assuming there are no alternatives, oral moisturizers are a great tool against persistent dry mouth. These over the counter products are sold in spray and mouthwash form. Seniors can also increase their daily water intake.

Additional steps range from chewing sugar free gum or using lozenges as a way of promoting saliva production to using a humidifier to keep a healthy level of moisture in the air. Seniors should also reach out to their dentist and discuss protective products such as fluoride gel and tooth varnish.