Recently, as I was doing house calls in the San Francisco Bay Area, I visited a patient whose dentures were caked with plaque. Those dentures spoke volumes.
Often, a patient with dementia will not let caregivers near their mouth. After a hospitalization of several weeks or months, the last thing a family may be thinking about is tooth brushing and flossing. Remember that dental issues can become serious problems: It goes way beyond bad breath and cavities. Poor dental hygiene can lead to life-threatening infections. It can result in lost teeth, discomfort, difficulty eating.
One way to get “buy in” from your elder is to let them hold the toothbrush. Stand behind the elder and help them to guide the brush or floss where it needs to go.
Elders may also respond if you wear a surgical mask and act as if you’re a professional hygienist. It depends on personality, but some elders respond to that kind of “authority.”
Dementia expert and consultant Teepa Snow has produced an excellent video with detailed instructions and on YouTube (quick view) explaining dental care for elders with dementia. Check it out!
Elizabeth (Dr Liz) has over twenty years of experience in providing medical care to the elders. She is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine and Palliative Care Medicine. Dr Landsverk founded ElderConsult Geriatric Medicine, a house calls practice, to address the challenging medical and behavioral issues often facing older patients and their families.