Dental Care for Patients with Dementia
Patients with dementia may start to forget their morning and night routines, including taking care of their oral hygiene. Maintaining oral hygiene is critical as it is correlated to our overall health.
Brushing and flossing twice a day remains the ideal standard for dental care, but for someone with dementia, they may start forgetting how to do so. If you notice this, you can walk the person through a step-by-step tutorial on brushing and flossing their teeth. You can also monitor their diet to limit the amount of sugar intake that could eventually lead to tooth decay and gum disease.
These patients should continue going to the dentist regularly, but this may become difficult the more advanced the dementia becomes. They may feel distressed at the dentist’s office because they don’t understand what is happening or recognize their dentist.
If you are bringing a patient with dementia to see a dentist, you want a doctor who will tell the patient what they will do before doing it, show them, and then proceed.
Bruxism and involuntary jaw and tongue movement are common reactions in those living with dementia because of the medication they are taking. This is why the best thing a person can do when bringing their loved one to the dentist, is to talk openly to them about the safest way of taking care of their loved one’s dental care.
Source:
Trevey, K. (2023). Dental care for the dementia patient. https://thebreckinridge.com/dental-care-for-the-dementia-patient/