Stimulate appetite and promote health

Nutrition is an important factor for longevity. The nutritional intake of the elderly is closely related to their oral conditions. From the perspective of stomatology, the following points are proposed. If paid attention to, they can help the elderly increase their appetite, take in sufficient nutrition, and be conducive to health and longevity. Chewing: As people age, the taste function of the elderly generally declines and their appetite is poor. To improve this situation, one should chew more appropriately when eating. Chewing can increase saliva, saliva can enhance taste, and taste can in turn increase appetite. When the elderly are having meals, they should chew small pieces of meat, carrots, green vegetables, celery and other foods thoroughly. It would be even better to have some fresh fruits like apples and pears after dinner, and chew them thoroughly. Seasoning delicious and tasty food can stimulate one's appetite. When cooking food, add some seasonings or condiments appropriately. It can stimulate the sense of taste to increase interest in food. However, it should be noted that excessive salt is particularly harmful to people with cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Other seasonings should not be used in excessive amounts either. An unclean mouth cannot taste the flavor of food. Elderly people can brush their tongues when brushing their teeth. Tongue brushing is not only important for enhancing taste, but also can reduce the microorganisms on the back of the tongue, which is also very helpful in preventing tooth decay. Elderly people wearing dentures should put them in cold boiled water at night and wash them with toothpaste with a strong smell. Bad breath caused by smoking is unpleasant at any age and may be even more harmful to the elderly. Smoking not only pollutes the mouth but also affects the sense of taste. Even delicious food seems tasteless. Therefore, one must quit smoking. For the elderly, dental caries are mostly residual roots that cannot be filled and should be extracted as early as possible. Generally, it is advisable to have dentures inserted 2 to 3 months after tooth extraction to restore chewing function. (Chen Xuehan, Wudong Railway Hospital, Wuhan 430084)