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Oral Health Education Series

Dental Care for Seniors in Residential Care

www.epiciti.ca

+ Why Oral Health is Important

• Your mouth is the gateway into your body and the condition of your mouth reflects the condition of your health

• Poor oral health is linked to osteoporosis; stroke; heart attack; diabetes; digestion problems; respiratory problems 1, 2

• The first thing people notice is your smile and a great smile is a great first impression

EPICITI Mobile Dental Care © 2014 www.EPICITI.ca

+ Why Oral Health is Important

• Not only is it important for your physical health but also for you socially:

• Good teeth can improve confidence

• Make you smile more

• Avoid awkward situations (bad breath)

“Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.” - Mark Twain

EPICITI Mobile Dental Care © 2014 www.EPICITI.ca

+ Oral Hygiene Care - Brushing

• Brushing your teeth is important for keeping your teeth

• Teeth should be brushed at least twice a day 3

EPICITI Mobile Dental Care © 2014 www.EPICITI.ca

+ Oral Hygiene Care - Brushing

• Many seniors find it difficult to reach all their teeth or to hold a tooth brush

• There are many options available to help you clean your teeth

• Electric tooth brushes; available inexpensively in Wal-Mart or Shoppers Drug Mart

• They're good because they do the work for you

• Helpful tips: Tennis ball brush: excellent tool for people with arthritis

• Make sure to buy a brush with soft bristles because they are less irritating

EPICITI Mobile Dental Care © 2014 www.EPICITI.ca

+ Oral Hygiene Care - Brushing

• Seniors with Parkinson’s or arthritis who have difficulty holding a toothbrush can use the tennis ball modification to improve their grip to assist with brushing

EPICITI Mobile Dental Care © 2014 www.EPICITI.ca

+ Oral Hygiene Care - Brushing

• Electric toothbrush

• There is a wide selection of electric toothbrushes that have large handles allowing for improved grip

EPICITI Mobile Dental Care © 2014 www.EPICITI.ca

+ Oral Hygiene Care - Brushing

• Tongue brushing:

• The tongue holds a lot of bacteria that can cause bad breath or health problems

• We recommend that the tongue is cleaned regularly using either your toothbrush or a special tool like a tongue scraper

EPICITI Mobile Dental Care © 2014 www.EPICITI.ca

+ Oral Hygiene Care - Toothpastes

• There are so many varieties of toothpaste available on the market

• The best toothpaste contains fluoride, which helps with preventing cavities and also strengthens your teeth 3

• If you have sensitive teeth your dentist may recommend a specially formulated toothpaste such as Sensodyne

EPICITI Mobile Dental Care © 2014 www.EPICITI.ca

+ Oral Hygiene Care - Flossing

• Flossing once a day will help clean in between teeth. If you have trouble flossing there are other great products to help

EPICITI Mobile Dental Care © 2014 www.EPICITI.ca

+ Oral Hygiene Care - Flossing• Floss-forks are affordable and have an easy-to-grasp

handle

• Great for reaching back teeth

• Comfortable to hold and has replaceable heads

• Helpful for seniors who have arthritis or someone with Parkinson’s

EPICITI Mobile Dental Care © 2014 www.EPICITI.ca

+ Oral Hygiene Care - Flossing

• A Waterpik is an easy and effective alternative to string flossing

• Clinically proven results 4

• Efficiently removes bacteria, plaque and debris between teeth

• Helpful for seniors who have arthritis or someone with Parkinson’s 5

EPICITI Mobile Dental Care © 2014 www.EPICITI.ca

+ Oral Hygiene Care - Flossing

• If you have any bridges or crowns it is also important to clean them using specially-designed brushes to get into tight areas.

• These interdental brushes are available in local department stores

EPICITI Mobile Dental Care © 2014 www.EPICITI.ca

+ Oral Hygiene Care - Rinsing

• Many seniors experience dry mouth as a result of prescription medications 6

• Sipping water regularly or rinsing your mouth frequently can help keep the gums healthy 7

• Mouthwashes with no alcohol can help reduce dry mouth 8

• An antibiotic mouthwash may be prescribed by your dentist to help with any infection in your mouth

EPICITI Mobile Dental Care © 2014 www.EPICITI.ca

+ Oral Hygiene Care - Rinsing

• Many medical conditions are treated with medications that cause dry mouth and dry throat

• Dry mouth symptoms are often triggered by diabetes, Sjögren's Syndrome and other conditions 9

• This can be uncomfortable and often painful, affecting your ability to speak and eat the foods you love 9

• Your dentist may recommend using Biotene to relieve symptoms of dry mouth

EPICITI Mobile Dental Care © 2014 www.EPICITI.ca

+ Oral Hygiene Care - In Office Dental Cleanings

• To maintain good oral health, you must have professional cleanings by a dental hygienist every six months

• A dental professional can also make additional recommendations to promote good oral health and well-being

• Regular visits can also identify and prevent any oral lesions that may become problematic

• As seniors live longer and keep their teeth longer, regular dental cleanings will help them maintain their teeth by preventing gingivitis, periodontal complications, loose teeth and tooth loss 10

EPICITI Mobile Dental Care © 2014 www.EPICITI.ca

+ Denture Care - Cleaning Your Dentures

• To maintain your dentures they need to be cleaned and disinfected daily 11

• This will keep your mouth healthy and comfortable by reducing bacteria that irritate your gums

• Denture acrylic has microscopic holes where bacteria can grow - disinfecting them regularly with Polident will kill bacteria that causes odours and possible health complications

EPICITI Mobile Dental Care © 2014 www.EPICITI.ca

+ Denture Care - Caring For Your Dentures

• Never bite your partial denture into place as this can break clasps and fracture dentures

• Always store dentures in water to prevent them from drying out and warping

• Always have your dentures labeled in case you misplace them

• Never clean your dentures using hot water.

EPICITI Mobile Dental Care © 2014 www.EPICITI.ca

+ When to Get Help

• If you experience the following signs and symptoms, it’s recommended you get in touch with your dental office:

• Bad breath

• Loose teeth

• Stained Teeth

• Haven't had a dental cleaning in the past year

• Pain

• Discomfort

• Loose dentures

EPICITI Mobile Dental Care © 2014 www.EPICITI.ca

+ When to Get Help

• If you experience the following signs and symptoms get in touch with your dental office:

• Dentures over 7 years old

• Use of denture glue

• Cracked or broken dentures

• If you're not wearing your dentures

• Difficulty chewing, eating and swallowing

• Not confident with the appearance of your teeth

EPICITI Mobile Dental Care © 2014 www.EPICITI.ca

+ About EPICITI Mobile Dental Care

• Providing affordable and reliable onsite mobile dental care services for seniors in residential care facilities. Our specialized dental team provides dental exams, mobile denture services and house call dental cleanings in home at the following facilities:

• Nursing Homes

• Retirement Homes

• Long-Term Care Homes

• Hospitals

• Private Homes

• Visit us online to get more informationEPICITI Mobile Dental Care © 2014 www.EPICITI.ca

+ References:

EPICITI Mobile Dental Care © 2014 www.EPICITI.ca

1. Canadian Dental Association, Oral Health Articles. Available at: http://www.cda-adc.ca/en/about/media_room/health_month/publicity/oral_health_articles.asp Accessed 07-12-2014.

2. Thunder Bay District Health Unit, Oral Health – More Than Just Cavities: A Report by Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health. April 2012. Available at: http://www.tbdhu.com/NR/rdonlyres/6AA8F284-35C0-46EE-8638-1CE2389CC77F/0/DrKingReport_OralHealthMorethanCavities_Apr2012.pdf Accessed 07-10-2014.

3. Ontario Dental Association, ToothBrushes. Available at: http://www.oda.on.ca/personal-oral-care/learn-how-to-toothbrushes Accessed 07-11-2014.

4. Waterpik® Water Flosser: Significantly More Effective than String Floss for Removing Plaque. Journal of Clinical Dentistry 2013; 24(2):37-42. Available at: http://professional.waterpik.com/clinical-research/ Accessed 07-10-2014.

5. Gantz RDH, Carla, Understanding Parkinson's Disease and it's Oral Health Implications. Available at: http://professional.waterpik.com/newsletter/april-2013.html Accessed 07-11-2014.

6. Furness S, Worthington HV, Bryan G, Birchenough S, McMillan R. Interventions for the management of dry mouth: topical therapies. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011;12. No. CD008934. Copyright 2011, The Cochrane Collaboration. Wiley. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008934.pub2. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22161442 Accessed 07-11-2014.

7. College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario, From Head to Toe for Denture Wearers Public Brochure. Available at: http://www.cdho.org/publicbrochures/oralhealthmatters_denturewearers.pdf Accessed 07-11-2014.

+ References:

EPICITI Mobile Dental Care © 2014 www.EPICITI.ca

8. Asadoorian, Joanna, CDHA Position Paper on Commercially Available Over-the-Counter Oral Rinsing Products. Canadian Journal of Dental Hygiene 2006; Vol 40 (4): 1-13. Available at: http://www.cdha.ca/pdfs/profession/resources/oral_rinsing_position_paper.pdf Accessed 07-11-2014.

9. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, Burning Mouth Syndrome. NIH Publication No. 11-6288. May 2011. Available at: http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/oralhealth/Topics/Burning/BurningMouthSyndrome.htm Accessed 07-12-2014

10. Ontario Dental Association, Oral Health & Aging. Available at: http://www.oda.on.ca/seniors97/oral-health-a-aging80 Accessed 07-12-2014.

11. Uludamar et al. In vivo efficacy of alkaline peroxide tablets and mouthwashes on Candida albicans in patients with denture stomatitis May/June 2010. Journal of Applied Oral Science Vol. 18 (3). Available at: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S1678-77572010000300017&script=sci_arttext Accessed 07-12-2014.