Dental Care for Seniors in Nursing and Retirement Homes

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Oral Health Education Series
Dental Care for Seniors in Residential Care
www.epiciti.ca

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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

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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

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Oral Hygiene Care - Brushing
• Brushing your teeth is important for keeping your teeth
• Teeth should be brushed at least twice a day 3

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• 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

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• 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

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

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• 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

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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

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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

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• 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

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• 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

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• 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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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 information

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References:
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_OralHealthMorethanCavi
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.

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References:
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.

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