TRAINING IN ORAL HEALTH CARE  

Oral Health 'Quick Reference' mouth care poster

 Having direct contact with residents in long-term care facilities is inevitable, especially when helping people that are frail and vulnerable with personal care. 

Scientists are still learning how COVID-19 is spreading and to what extent it may spread more

The way in which frailty is defined and measured may vary but in general - people in advanced age with declining health leads to adverse health outcomes including dependency which can impact their oral health. more

Hydrating the mouth with a persons' favourite tipple such as Bayley's, Sherry might sound like a nice thing to do but this should be avoided as alcohol has a drying effect on the mouth and will further dehydrate the oral mucosa. more

Jane Peterson, founder of Knowledge Oral Health Care was awarded Highly Commended Philips Shine On Award 2019 in recognition for her dedication to Oral Health (FMC).

This is recognised as the most prestigious award in Oral Health Promotion.

A study shows tooth loss comparison between adults with learning disabilities and the general population of the same age (35 to 44 yrs). - Learning Disabilities - 20% complete tooth loss - Peers of general poplation - 2% complete tooth loss   more

One of the most common dental/oral complaints in care homes is loose dentures. There are a number of reasons that can cause denture to become loose such as weight loss and facial muscle tone, bone resorption (gum recession)  more

Unfortunately as people advance with dementia they often become more resistant to mouth care. Admittedly, providing good oral care for residents that are uncooperative can be more

A surprisingly high percentage of senior denture users do not remove their dentures during the night . Wearing dentures continually, and especially at night when salivary flow naturally diminishes, more

Plaque will stick to any hard surface and will therefore adhere to dentures just as they do on natural teeth, the regular cleaning of dentures is essential to more

Oral health is often neglected at the end of life as mouth hygiene practices may be forgotten or eliminated, this can contribute to halitosis and can impact on more

It is my understanding that unconscious patients require mouth care as often as every 2 hrs and 4-6 hourly care is recommended for patients that are palliative care. This may not necessarily be brushing teeth each time  more

HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED THAT ALZHEIMERS COULD HAVE AN INFECTIOUS CAUSE! This alarming hypothesis is being supported by a growing number of scientific studies.more

Many people on the autism spectrum sense the world differently to other people, they have difficulty processing everyday sensory information.more

One of the reasons why mouth care is so critical in care homes is that elderly vulnerable adults are particularly at risk from developing respiratory diseases. more

It is not necessary to throw your toothbrush away or disinfect it if you are sick as you are unlikely to re-infect yourself. Viruses can live on a moist surface for up to 72 hours, more

Having had a number of hygienists, nurses and carers trial the brushes I can recommend them as a safe alternative to the sponge swabs. The bristles are designed for removing plaque and debris from the teeth BUT because the bristles    more

According to the Oral Health Foundation more than 7,800 people were diagnosed with mouth cancer in the UK last year and these numbers are predicted to rise in the coming years! more

Most care homes are aware that mouth sponge swabs have been banned in Wales and are to be used with extreme caution in England. more

It is thought that 1 in 4 people have regular bad breath (halitosis). Some people do not notice that they have bad breath but other people WILL and will probably feel uncomfortable more

Firstly could I just point out that if you read the instructions on a denture cleaning product, it states that dentures should be soaked for 20minutes in other words NOT overnight. more

THICK COATED TONGUE AND COATED PALATE IN THE PALLIATIVE CARE RESIDENT Ever wondered if you should be cleaning the palate and tongue? more

As we grow older our sense of smell and taste changes. We are born with approximately 9,000 taste buds which  are regularly regenerated until after 50 more

Caregivers that are reading this will have noticed the amount of residents they assist with tooth brushing that present with broken teeth. Have you ever wondered why? more

In care homes pneumonia is the second most common infection after urinary tract infection, and the leading cause of death among the elderly more