Oral hygiene for people with special needs

Disabled patients

Disabled patients - both mentally and physically may require some further assistance, but remember not to belittle any wheelchair bound person as they may be more than capable with brush and floss, treat them entirely normally. An arthritic will probably be the most common disabled person you will see. Assess their level of dexterity first then decide upon the most suitable brushing technique for them - We have found in the past that the collapsible travel brushes are quite helpful as they have larger handles that are easier to hold and therefore easier to manipulate. Mentally handicaped patients need to be assessed as to their level of comprehension, where possible address the person your treating rather than their helper - remember the disabled have feelings too. You will almost certainly get a better response by dealing with the patient direct rather than relying on third party intervention or supervision.

Pregnancy

A very common disability suffered by many women and caught from men, is that of being pregnant. Quite often ladies say that their gums are bleeding a lot more since becoming pregnant than before, this is known as pregnancy gingivitis. This can treated by improving the level of oral hygiene activity, if they can manage this without retching. Interdental cleaning is a must and they need to try and floss. Mouthwashes are a useful adjunct, for these times when it is impossible to brush.

Aged

The young will tell you that the ageing process is most definitely a disability. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), people between 65 & 80 are old and over 80 very old. The ageing of an individual denotes a physiological process that begins at conception, and entails changes, characteristic for that species, throughout the whole lifecycle (ADA). Certainly some older patients will evidence a deterioration in their oral health, this is due in some instance to the loss of muscle tone, a development of unsteadiness and tremor a diminishing of muscular strength. The oral environment also changes with age a decrease in salivary flow and the soft tissues (oral mucosa) may become thinner and less well supplied with blood. They will probably find an electric brush easier to use and thereby be more effective in plaque removal. Many older people have less demands on their time so they may be able to clean their teeth more frequently throughout the day. They may also find flossing very awkward so most people find flossettes easier to use.

Cleft palate

This is something you may not see very often and many will wear a prosthesis. The level of plaque read more