Tooth brushing can become a complicated task for your senior. There are a lot of little steps that have to be done in the right order. Your elderly family member may also have memory issues that keep her from being as consistent as she needs to be with tooth brushing.
Keep Your Attitude and Tone Light
When you’re dreading helping your senior to brush her teeth, she picks up on that. You might think you’re being subtle, but if your attitude, tone, and facial expressions are all negative that’s going to translate to your senior. And that can make her more resistant to dental health.
Brush at a Sink with a Mirror
If it’s possible, it’s a good idea to do daily tooth brushing at a sink that has a mirror. This allows you to see what’s happening, but it also allows you to model tooth brushing for your senior. By doing this, you’re able to use visual prompts to keep her engaged in tooth brushing.
Try to Brush at the Same Location Every Day
Something else that helps is to brush your senior’s teeth in the same room and at the same sink every day. People with dementia tend to do so much better with established routines. When your senior is at that sink, she’ll be more likely to stick with the tooth brushing routine that you and she have established.
Avoid Temperature Extremes with the Water
Sensory issues are a much bigger issue for people with dementia than many family caregivers realize. Water that’s too warm or too cold may make tooth brushing extremely unpleasant, and therefore it becomes something your senior wants to avoid more often. If you start to use lukewarm water, you may find she has a better response to the activity.
Make Regular Dentist Appointments
Dental appointments are still important for your senior. In fact, they may be more important than ever now that she has dementia. Regular appointments allow your senior’s dentist to spot trouble before it becomes a huge and painful issue for your elderly family member.
These techniques can be helpful but may still not convince your senior to let you help her to brush her teeth or to stick with a routine on her own. At some point you may want to consider bringing in elderly care providers to help with the task. Their experience can allow them to have easier success, which can be less stressful for both you and your senior.
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE IS CONSIDERING HIRING ELDERLY CARE IN SANTA CLARA, CA, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT HOME HELPERS TODAY (408) 317-4969.
