My partner Dave has vascular dementia and has been in a care home for 14 months now. A couple of weeks ago I noticed that his tongue seemed to be a bit enlarged, it was making him lisp and was quite visible when he spoke. I got him to stick it out and it was a horrible colour round the sides and underneath, a sort of purply black with lumps. It didn’t seem to bother him, but the senior carer phoned the GP (he described it as looking like an octopus tentacle which amused Dave as he was a fisherman). The GP said it might be thrush and prescribed antibiotics.
That had the effect of making the swelling go down, but the discolouration remained. The GP practice sent out a paramedic who thought Dave might have to see a dentist, but said he’d consult the GP and get back – that has had to be chased and we’re waiting for a response. Dave has no teeth and hasn’t worn his dentures at all since before he went into care.
The carer has told me that GP’s “don’t do mouth problems” and dentists usually refer back to the GP. Poor circulation is apparently a possibility, and he does have low blood pressure and blue patches on his hands.
Has anybody experienced this sort of problem?
That had the effect of making the swelling go down, but the discolouration remained. The GP practice sent out a paramedic who thought Dave might have to see a dentist, but said he’d consult the GP and get back – that has had to be chased and we’re waiting for a response. Dave has no teeth and hasn’t worn his dentures at all since before he went into care.
The carer has told me that GP’s “don’t do mouth problems” and dentists usually refer back to the GP. Poor circulation is apparently a possibility, and he does have low blood pressure and blue patches on his hands.
Has anybody experienced this sort of problem?
