Brushing teeth

Orientate

Registered User
Apr 20, 2011
15
0
farnborough
In the early days I had this problem and when speaking to the dentist he told me not to worry as the normal process of eating helps to clean the teeth especially if the person can eat 'normal' food. I can now clean my wife's teeth and was recommended to use Duraphat 5000 which can only be obtained from a dentist as it has a high Flouride content.
 

Phythiag

New member
May 30, 2019
2
0
Telford
My wife has had dementia for 6 years and of course is slowly getting worse. Recently she has started to be unable to brush her teeth. She does not understand what she has to do and if I try to do it for her she won't open her mouth. She goes to the hygienist every 3 months and with some cajoling allows the cleaning there but really needs to clean them in between visits.
Anybody got any ideas how I can accomplish this?
Thank you

I bought an electric toothbrush for my Husband and it has bluetooth. A small device is fitted to the bathroom wall, and gives a smiley face if you clean your teeth for 2.5 minutes. It also means I can check if he has cleaned his teeth
 

John13

New member
Oct 19, 2019
1
0
My wife & I have the same problem; my Mother, who has really nice teeth, and was fastidious in keeping them in first class order, now doesn't clean them ant tartar has built up. What shall we do?
 

Nutty Nan

Registered User
Nov 2, 2003
801
0
Buckinghamshire
John, if she can manage a trip to the hygienist, that would be your best solution. If that is out of the question, you may be able to assist at home, but that depends a little on her co-operation or at least acceptance.
I bought some dental tools (available from high street chemists or on-line) plus a finger guard, and I managed a weekly 'deep clean' to make up for the fact that the daily brushing had become a bit hit and miss.
Good luck!
 

Juba

Registered User
Jul 27, 2019
33
0
Yes, mouthwash was great but now she won't or can't gargle; if she sips it she drinks it and then pulls faces ( I would to...ha ha).
Problem now is also getting her to take pills. If I manage to get them in her mouth she will just hold them and not sip water so eventually she spits them out. Using a mortar and pestle to powder them and sprinkle on food is very hit and miss as half of what I prepare she leaves or sometimes results in her refusing to eat as the food tastes funny. So I end up using more medication than is prescribed because lots gets wasted.
Yep - taking meds seems to be getting more of an issue for us also. I'm very reticent to try and disguise in food as he was so angry and upset when I'd given them in a teaspoon of yoghurt - a few months ago now. I had told him they were there and the yoghurt would hopefully help make them taste better but of course, he hadn't registered that and spat it all out and then thought I was trying to poison him.... That was a while ago but it makes me very nervy about the food and meds route. Someone with dementia did tell me that some of the tablets taste really bad - not sure which ones? You would think that the taste issue could be resolved in labs etc. nowadays???