Dementia and Oral Health

Oral Health Tips for Patients and their Caregivers

When it comes to patients with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other similar conditions, it can be easy for patients as well as their caregivers to overlook the importance of oral health. It has been found that these individuals are at higher risk for developing gum disease and tooth decay as well as the possibility of losing the ability to care for their teeth on their own. Considering the attention these types of dementia-related conditions need, it can be easy to see how proper oral care can be overlooked.

In addition to potentially losing focus on oral hygiene practices, it is also possible for mental health medications to have a negative effect on a patient’s oral health. With all of these aspects in mind, it is important for mental health patients and their caregivers to remember the importance of oral hygiene and care to help ensure oral complications, such as gum disease, tooth decay, tooth loss, infections, and other potential issues, do not create a larger problem for patients down the road.

Properly caring for the teeth and mouth can help prevent patients from having digestive problems and difficulty eating, while also helping prevent the need for extensive dental procedures later on. Brushing teeth regularly is an important step in preventing these problems, but depending on the severity of patients’ conditions, they may have forgotten how to brush their teeth, why it is important, or they may simply not have the proper motor skills to complete the task.

For those caregivers with patients facing dementia-related illnesses, here are some tips to help them keep up with a proper oral hygiene routine:

• “Brush your teeth” may seem like a straight forward action, but for some patients, this phrase may be too non-specific. Instead, provide patients with simple, short instructions, walking them through the process of brushing their teeth step by step.
• Show patients how to brush their teeth by brushing your own or use the “hand-over-hand” technique to help guide their movement when brushing their teeth.
• Make sure to carefully monitor patients’ oral care routine, ensuring they are brushing their teeth or dentures twice a day or after every meal.
• Keep an eye out for signs of oral discomfort when speaking or eating.
• Schedule and keep regular dental visits for as long as possible – regular, professional cleanings help keep oral health in tip-top shape. Also, caregivers can ask patients’ dentists for suggestions.

If you or a client with dementia needs to schedule an appointment, you can sign up for our New Hampshire Individual Discount Dental Plan and save as much as 20 percent on your dental bills. For more information, please click here. We also offer Employee Discount Dental Plans for business owners offering dental to their employees.

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