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Dental Hygiene
godblessmep23
Posted: Monday, December 2, 2019 3:53 PM
Joined: 12/2/2019
Posts: 2


 My mother has Alzheimer's and she lives in a locked facility. She is somewhere around early advanced stage. She has all her teeth but her gums are infected due to poor hygiene. The problem is that she wont cooperate for hygiene maintenance does anybody know of anything that can be done to help?
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TessC
Posted: Tuesday, December 3, 2019 10:47 AM
Joined: 4/1/2014
Posts: 5080


 Most of us have this issue. I was able to brush my mother's teeth for years after she no longer could, but it was not easy. I think it helps if it is always the same person and that person has a ton of patience, lol. I sang her a tooth brushing song that I made up when we brushed teeth and I think that soothed her. I also used children's toothpaste and a bad breath killing mouthwash that was not alcohol base as a rinse so her mouth did not burn. Towards the end I could not get her to open her mouth at all so I went with a mouthwash sponge and just swabbed her teeth and gums with mouthwash. At least her breath was not bad and I could clean her cheek pockets of any left over food. Good luck!
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godblessmep23
Posted: Thursday, December 5, 2019 12:53 AM
Joined: 12/2/2019
Posts: 2


 Thank you for sharing this with me. God Bless You and your Family
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Dave Cahail
Posted: Thursday, December 5, 2019 8:11 PM
Joined: 6/24/2018
Posts: 41

Check with the MC facility to see if they have a dentist that comes periodically and provides basic services. 

The MC my mother is in has this and has been able to prescribe appropriate tooth paste, tooth picks and mouth wash that the staff helps her use. 
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JamesSonDad
Posted: Monday, December 9, 2019 1:40 PM
Joined: 4/29/2019
Posts: 27


 My daughter at 53 with YOA is in AL and was not brushing her teeth. She has a vibrating toothbrush and had no toothpaste and I talked with staff about that and we have emphasized the importance her. She is using it. She runs out of toothpaste often and thinks she is out of toothpaste more often than she is because she can't find it.  I took her to a dentist and they gave her a clean bill of health.  So far, so good.
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