The Challenges of Dental Care for Seniors with Alzheimer's
Caring for seniors with Alzheimer's is a daily challenge for their family and caregivers. As the impact of the disease progresses, patients require greater help and supervision in all aspects of their life. Not surprisingly, dental care for seniors with Alzheimer's can pose a unique set of challenges for the patient, the caregiver, and the healthcare team.
During the early or undiagnosed stages of Alzheimer's, dental care and overall oral health care is often neglected or forgotten by the senior. Even if the senior is not living alone, family members or the spouse may be hesitant to suggest, check, or take over daily dental hygiene tasks for the senior because of a desire to preserve what little independence the senior has left.
Despite these good intentions, several dental and overall health problems can occur for seniors with Alzheimer's when basic oral hygiene is neglected for long periods of time. This can lead to what is referred to by dentists who treat Alzheimer's patients as, "abandoned mouths."
What Dental Problems Do Seniors with Alzheimer's Face?
1. Declining dexterity and motor skills.
As Alzheimer's progresses, the impact on the pathways in the brain cells (known as neurons) leads to an overall decline in brain function. While many people first assume memory problems are the hallmark of Alzheimer's, all functions of the body are impacted by brain function decline, including gross and fine motor skills, dexterity, and hand-eye coordination. This decrease in functionality can make brushing teeth difficult or impossible.
2. Not eating.
Poor or lacking dental hygiene, as well as poorly fitting dentures, can lead to seniors with Alzheimer's not being able to chew their food and thus eating less overall. This can set the patient on the road to greater health problems due to the loss of needed calories. For seniors with both Alzheimer's and diabetes diagnoses, not being able to eat to match the needs of their insulin and blood sugar levels could be fatal.
3. Oral bacteria entering the body.
The mouth hosts many types of oral bacteria that are normally controlled and limited to the mouth through good oral hygiene and regular dental care. However, in the case of neglected care or abandoned mouth, oral bacteria can proliferate and can find entries into the bloodstream through inflammation of the gums or can even be aspirated into the lungs. This can cause devastating infections in the body, including pneumonia, kidney infections, and heart infections.
How Can Caregivers Help Improve Dental Care for Seniors with Alzheimer's?
One of the foremost things caregivers can do to help improve dental care for seniors with Alzheimer's is to build a strong rapport with their patient by gaining their trust over time. This will allow the caregiver to assess the level of dental hygiene or neglect present in the patient and take the necessary steps to improve it.
There are simple oral hygiene steps caregivers can take as well. Encourage your patient to rinse their mouth with water after every meal or every sugary beverage to help reduce oral bacteria and remove loose food particles.
If brushing is difficult for the patient or painful, use sterile gauze that has been moistened with water to wipe down teeth, gums, and the inside of the patient's mouth.
There are dentists who specialize in caring for patients with Alzheimer's; these dentists often make home visits to their patients to reduce stress and anxiety. Ask for a referral from your healthcare provider.
For caregivers of seniors with Alzheimer's, maintaining the oral health of your patients is critical to maintaining their overall health and prolonging their quality of life. Understanding the special care needs of Alzheimer's patients requires compassionate care and expertise. At Elite Home Health Care, our home health aides are trained to meet the myriad of needs of Alzheimer's patients, including their oral health and dental care. If you are searching for a home health care company that you can trust for the needs of your family members living with Alzheimer's contact Elite Home Health Care today.
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