Education

Oral Health and Special Care Patients

Oral health is directly related to total health. Good oral health is essential for chewing, nutrition and speech. In addition, oral health plays an important role in self-image and social interaction. These important functions highlight the need for regular oral health care services for everyone.

The need for dental care increases with age, chronic illness and handicap. Because of this, good oral health care is especially important for residents of long-term care facilities.

Oral diseases are more common, more extensive and more difficult to manage for special care patients than in younger or less vulnerable populations.

Oral Care

Daily mouth care is the key to Access Dental Care’s success. Without a good preventive program, the treatment that Access Dental Care provides is worthless.

Our staff will work with your facility staff to develop a daily oral hygiene plan for every resident in your facility. This daily oral hygiene plan should be implemented just like any other daily treatment that a resident receives.

• Natural teeth should be cleaned twice a day.
• Dentures and partials should be removed and rinsed after every meal and
•.cleaned with a denture brush just before bed.

Complete records of daily oral hygiene care should be kept by your facility. These records should be made accessible to the Access Dental Care staff.

Labeling Dentures

It is extremely important for all dentures and partials to be labeled. Unlabeled dentures are easy for patients and staff to lose. Often the facility must replace lost dentures at their own expense. Labeling is easy, quick and inexpensive.

Procedure:
Using a denture labeling kit, label the denture or partial with the patient’s first initial and last name.

Upper dentures are labeled on the side that will be on the right side in the patient’s mouth. The label is applied to the outside part of the denture (on the gum section facing the cheek).

Lower dentures are labeled on the inside right side (on the tongue side).

Denture Labeling Kit Ordering Information
Shine-Sullivan Dental Supply
1-800-496-9500

GERI Identure Denture Marking System
Identure Kit w/ Sealant Order Number: 361-8711

Oral Care for Natural Teeth

You will need:
• Soft toothbrush
• Fluoride toothpaste
• Cup with water
• Emesis basin
• Gloves*
• Towel

*GLOVES SHOULD ALWAYS BE WORN WHEN DOING ORAL CARE

Procedure:
1.   Explain to the patient that you are going to brush his or her teeth.
2.   Sit the patient up to a comfortable position.
3.   Lay the towel across his or her chest just below the chin.
4.   Wet the toothbrush.
5.   Put the toothpaste on the toothbrush. Use toothpaste about the size of a
ooooogreen pea.
6.   Have the patient open his or her mouth. If the patient is unable to open his or
oooooher mouth, use a mouth prop.
7.   Angle the toothbrush at a 45° angle to the gum line.
8.   Gently move the toothbrush in a circular motion.
9.   Sweep the toothbrush away from the gums to remove plaque.
10. Move to the next few teeth being sure that you overlap slightly.
11. Be sure that you have brushed the inside, outside, and tops of the teeth and
ooooothe tongue.
12. Let the patient rinse with the water and spit in the emesis basin. If the patient
ooooocannot rinse and spit, wipe the mouth out with wet gauze.

Oral Care for Dentures and Partials

You will need:
• Denture Brush/Toothbrush
• Non-Abrasive Toothpaste
• Labeled Denture Cup
• Denture Soak Tablets (optional)
• Gloves*
• Paper Towels
• Gauze

*GLOVES SHOULD ALWAYS BE WORN WHEN DOING ORAL CARE

Procedure:
1.  Explain to the patient that you are going to clean his or her dentures.
2.  Have the patient remove his or her dentures or you remove the dentures for
oooohim or her.
3.  Fill the sink with cool water and place paper towels in the bottom of the sink.
4.  Hold the denture carefully so that you will not drop them. They are expensive
ooooto replace.
5.  Brush the denture removing all debris and plaque.
6.  Put the clean denture in a labeled denture cup filled with cool water. A
oooodenture tablet may be added but remember that soaking alone does not
ooooremove plaque.
7.  With a damp gauze square, wipe out the inside of the mouth.
8.  Do not return the dentures at the bedtime cleaning. The dentures need to be
ooooremoved for 6-8 hours daily to let the gums “breathe.”

Frequency:
• Remove and rinse dentures and partial dentures after each meal.
• Remove and clean dentures at bedtime.

Web Resources:

http://ucsfchildcarehealth.org/html/pandr/postersmain.htm

http://www.vrri.org/documents/plainlang/SimplyHealth/Dental.pdf




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			Oral Health and Special Care Patients Oral health is directly related to total health. Good oral health is essential for chewing, nutrition and speech. In addition, oral health plays an important role in self-image and social interaction. These important functions highlight the need for regular oral health care services for everyone. The need for dental care increases with age, chronic illness and handicap. Because of this, good oral health care is especially important for residents of long-term care facilities. Oral diseases are more common, more extensive and more difficult to manage for special care patients than in younger or less vulnerable populations. Oral Care Daily mouth care is the key to Access Dental Care’s success. Without a good preventive program, the treatment that Access Dental Care provides is worthless. Our staff will work with your facility staff to develop a daily oral hygiene plan for every resident in your facility. This daily oral hygiene plan should be implemented just like any other daily treatment that a resident receives. • Natural teeth should be cleaned twice a day. • Dentures and partials should be removed and rinsed after every meal and •.cleaned with a denture brush just before bed. Complete records of daily oral hygiene care should be kept by your facility. These records should be made accessible to the Access Dental Care staff. Labeling Dentures It is extremely important for all dentures and partials to be labeled. Unlabeled dentures are easy for patients and staff to lose. Often the facility must replace lost dentures at their own expense. Labeling is easy, quick and inexpensive. Procedure: Using a denture labeling kit, label the denture or partial with the patient’s first initial and last name. Upper dentures are labeled on the side that will be on the right side in the patient’s mouth. The label is applied to the outside part of the denture (on the gum section facing the cheek). Lower dentures are labeled on the inside right side (on the tongue side). Denture Labeling Kit Ordering Information Shine-Sullivan Dental Supply 1-800-496-9500 GERI Identure Denture Marking System Identure Kit w/ Sealant Order Number: 361-8711 Oral Care for Natural Teeth You will need: • Soft toothbrush • Fluoride toothpaste • Cup with water • Emesis basin • Gloves* • Towel GLOVES SHOULD ALWAYS BE WORN WHEN DOING ORAL CARE Procedure:* 1. Explain to the patient that you are going to brush his or her teeth. 2. Sit the patient up to a comfortable position. 3. Lay the towel across his or her chest just below the chin. 4. Wet the toothbrush. 5. Put the toothpaste on the toothbrush. Use toothpaste about the size of a ooooogreen pea. 6. Have the patient open his or her mouth. If the patient is unable to open his or oooooher mouth, use a mouth prop. 7. Angle the toothbrush at a 45° angle to the gum line. 8. Gently move the toothbrush in a circular motion. 9. Sweep the toothbrush away from the gums to remove plaque. 10. Move to the next few teeth being sure that you overlap slightly. 11. Be sure that you have brushed the inside, outside, and tops of the teeth and ooooothe tongue. 12. Let the patient rinse with the water and spit in the emesis basin. If the patient ooooocannot rinse and spit, wipe the mouth out with wet gauze. Oral Care for Dentures and Partials You will need: • Denture Brush/Toothbrush • Non-Abrasive Toothpaste • Labeled Denture Cup • Denture Soak Tablets (optional) • Gloves* • Paper Towels • Gauze GLOVES SHOULD ALWAYS BE WORN WHEN DOING ORAL CARE Procedure:* 1. Explain to the patient that you are going to clean his or her dentures. 2. Have the patient remove his or her dentures or you remove the dentures for oooohim or her. 3. Fill the sink with cool water and place paper towels in the bottom of the sink. 4. Hold the denture carefully so that you will not drop them. They are expensive ooooto replace. 5. Brush the denture removing all debris and plaque. 6. Put the clean denture in a labeled denture cup filled with cool water. A oooodenture tablet may be added but remember that soaking alone does not ooooremove plaque. 7. With a damp gauze square, wipe out the inside of the mouth. 8. Do not return the dentures at the bedtime cleaning. The dentures need to be ooooremoved for 6-8 hours daily to let the gums “breathe.” Frequency: • Remove and rinse dentures and partial dentures after each meal. • Remove and clean dentures at bedtime. Web Resources: http://ucsfchildcarehealth.org/html/pandr/postersmain.htm http://www.vrri.org/documents/plainlang/SimplyHealth/Dental.pdf