Dentist / false teeth

[Louise83]

My mum has 1 front tooth missing, and a few weeks ago she stopped wearing the denture as she said it didn't fit her anymore.

Took her to the dentist today and he advised that a PWD can become very intolerant to objects in their mouth, he could barely get his wee mirror in without her tongue pushing strongly against it. He's suggested it would be best not to get a new mould made as it would be very difficult and cause her a lot of distress (was bad enough today just for the check up). Also her other front tooth is wobbly so we're going back at the end of this month to have it removed, so my mum is now going to have a bigger gap at the front the rest of her life. It's not the end of the world but I'm a bit gutted for her, she didn't seem too fussed though.

She has just today started the rivastigmine patch so I'm wondering if this would help improve matters by time we go back, probably wishful thinking.

Has anyone had similar experiences?

 

[jugglingmum]

When my mum was first diagnosed I took her to my dentist aware she had had some dental work but struggled to finish the schedule.

My dentist said not to bother with the bridges, and that her experience of PWD was they struggle with anything new. I haven't taken mum back to the dentist since, although 5 years later probably should

Dentist said would only do anything if mum clearly in pain, as she thinks minimal treatment is best for PWD, she does do care home visits as part of her work, so I have left well alone.

She said if she removed more back teeth mum would learn to use her gums to chew like a toddler.so doesn't normally give a big eating problem.

I think like all things we have to realise PWD have different priorities to us, and if it isn't bothering your mum I wouldn't worry. It will be hard for you to get used to her with no front teeth though.

 

[Jaded'n'faded]

Mum's dentures were lost in hospital She'd had them for years, never went to the dentist and subsequently lost a few more of her remaining teeth. She was left with 3 at the bottom front. 2 of those snapped (you can just about see the roots) so now just one lonely tombstone remains.

I did try to get help for her though she has a massive fear of dentists. (Me too.) I heard of the Community Dental Team who come out to people - mum is in a care home. I got her on the list a couple of years ago. I have chased it up a few times since. Nothing. I have now given up.

Mum still manages to eat OK. She avoids some foods and the staff cut things up for her but she has little appetite anyway so it's hard to know if the lack of teeth is a problem. She's used to it now so I doubt it. I no longer think it's worth getting new dentures - it would be too difficult/traumatic for her anyway, would probably be costly (not that she can't afford it) and I would bet my house she would deny the dentures were hers and refuse to wear them.

 

[Louise83]

Thanks for the replies. I've already got used to seeing her with the wee gap so suppose I will get used to a bigger gap! It's not stopped her eating so that is the main thing.

Dementia is the gift that keeps giving eh!

 

[Helly68]

Just a bit more info....
Mummy's care home had so much difficulty getting an NHS community dentist to visit that they use a private dentist (which the residents pay for) who had experience with dementia and visits the CH. If more than one patient can be seen during a session the costs decrease. Sad that there has to be a cost, but my guess would be that waiting lists would be so long in the NHS that PWD might well suffer and in some areas community dentistry pretty much doesn't exist. Sad but true.....

 

[JanJaz]

I'm currently waiting for an appointment for my mum at the community dental centre where her GP referred her. We've been waiting a couple of months. My mum has lost or hidden her teeth but really wants them back. I don't know how it will go if she does get some though, maybe it's not worth it if she won't wear them,. She had reached the point of only wearing them for eating when they went missing. She's been without them nearly 6 months now.

 

[LynneMcV]

My husband lost a couple of front teeth during a football game when he was a teenager and had worn a plate since before I knew him.

Four years after his dementia diagnosis, he started to keep his hand up to his mouth when he spoke or smiled. I think he was showing signs of the 'self-conscious ' teenager he was when he first lost his teeth.

This was followed by a regular struggle to be able to put the plate back in once he had taken it out. He usually got there in the end, but not after a lot of frustration on his part. Unfortunately I was unable to help as he would never open his mouth wide enough or keep his tongue out the way so that I could see what to do.

A year later and he started to refuse to wear the plate altogether, completely denying it was his.

To be honest, we both found this a big relief. My husband was no longer self-conscious about his gap and we no longer had the frustration that came with trying to fit the plate into his mouth - let alone work with his firm belief that they were nothing to do with him!

He could eat perfectly well as things were, he was happy and relaxed - so we just carried on without them.

 

[Izzy]

My experience is almost exactly the same as Lynne’s. When my husband lost his plate for the umpteenth time it was a big relief when we couldn’t find it. I decided trying to get him to wear it was more for me than for him so after that he went without and was very happy.

 

[Jamesw46]

My mum had a few visits to the dentist and lost another tooth which was holding in her dentures the denture was altered so sh ecould wear them again but then she lost another tooth,I spoke to the dentist and he felt it best not to get the denture altered again and for mum to have a gap she has a big gap at the front now,but has been eating ok,in a way it was a relief not to have to go to the dentist another few times to get dentures altered and fitted as we had to go in a community ambulance.
My mums on a Rivistigmine patch too,I can't remember if it made much difference now to be honest.
Best wishes anyway x

 

[Louise7]

Mum wore a top plate but had to have a front tooth out and we subsequently discovered that it had been helping to hold the plate in, so it was then loose in her mouth. We decided not to take the risk of her choking on it so didn't bother putting it back in after that, especially as it didn't affect her eating. Mum subsequently needed another front tooth removed so now has a big gappy grin, but she doesn't mind/notice and everyone else soon got used to it.

Both teeth were extracted by the community dentist, as Mum's usual dentist said that they weren't able to treat her (they did try), but there were a couple of difficulties in the process. Mum uses a wheelchair and the x-ray machine did not cater for someone in a wheelchair with dementia as she had to keep still and place her chin in a support. The dentist took the chance of extraction without an x-ray - sometimes the roots are not straight so can be more difficult to extract. Luckily both teeth came out smoothly. The other problem was that Mum wouldn't sit still and kept biting down and closing her mouth when something was put into it, so the dentist said that they couldn't take the risk of taking the teeth out without a sedative. The alternative option was for the hospital to remove the teeth under anaesthetic. Mum's GP prescribed diazepam, which she had to take 2hrs prior to the dental appointments. This did the trick but it took several appointments before both teeth were finally extracted and as the community dentists were fully booked up for weeks at a time there were often quite long waits in between appointments so it wasn't a quick process.

 

[Jamesw46]

It's awkward to brush somebody elses teeth,I do my mums as I know I will do a better job than the carers,I like to do the best for her but it's the one thing that I will never be satisfied with as it's hard to get the toothbrush in properly to brush properly like you would with your own teeth.

 

[Sirena]

I think you have to look at it from her point of view - as you say, she isn't bothered. You're bothered about how she looks, but she really doesn't care at all, and trying to give her treatment would distress her.

My mother still has all her own teeth but she is very reluctant to brush them now (she's getting towards later stages of dementia) as she doesn't like the sensation of the brush in her mouth. I'm very impressed the dentist you saw is so in tune with the needs of dementia patients - you're lucky to have found someone like this.

 

[Louise83]

Thanks for all the replies.

@Sirena Yeah I was really pleased with how he dealt with mum. He did say he visits care homes as well.

Forgot to mention, the dentist also prescribed her some toothpaste (called Duraphat) to help as she is neglecting to brush her teeth a lot.

 

[ageddisregan]

Hi All, I hope you don't mind me posting here. I'm really interested to hear about your experiences of dental care and am currently leading a research project on this. I do hope that people aren't struggling with dental problems for now. If anyone would be willing to discuss their experiences as part of a care improvement research project please do let me know. Thanks,
Andrew

 

[Izzy]

Hi All, I hope you don't mind me posting here. I'm really interested to hear about your experiences of dental care and am currently leading a research project on this. I do hope that people aren't struggling with dental problems for now. If anyone would be willing to discuss their experiences as part of a care improvement research project please do let me know. Thanks,
Andrew

This is the link to Andrew’s research thread - https://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/thr...oking-to-speak-to-patients-and-carers.122066/

 

[MaNaAk]

When dad was first diagnosed with Alzheimers and he was losing his teeth he was very keen to get dentures. However when they were made he started to change his mind at the fitting and also when he had his teeth out he asked the dentist for his teeth back!

MaNaAk

 

[ageddisregan]

When dad was first diagnosed with Alzheimers and he was losing his teeth he was very keen to get dentures. However when they were made he started to change his mind at the fitting and also when he had his teeth out he asked the dentist for his teeth back!

MaNaAk

This can be very tricky. Even in the best hands dentures are problematic and uncomfortable, at least in the first stages. People generally find that dentures are much easier to get used to at younger ages, so it's tricky for people who need them later in life or when they're less well.

 

[MaNaAk]

I thought the dentist coped quite well with
dad's Alzheimers!

It's very tricky

MaNaAk