As we know, the number of elderly people who have teeth entering a care setting is rising. This is the result of better access to dental health care and a shifting demographic. It is felt across the health and social care system!
Worryingly, a recent report has demonstrated that the number of domiciliary dental care visits by dentists has fallen sharply by 58% between 2000 and 2008 (SDNAP, 2010).
Oral cancer is more common in people over 40 and can affect the lips, cheeks, tongue and throat. In the UK there are almost 7,000 new cases of oral cancer each year and 2,000 deaths in the UK are caused by mouth cancer. Early detection is key in beating mouth cancer and so regularly having visits to a care setting by a dental team is central to combating the disease.
Additionally, both the risk of pneumonia and mortality linked to pneumonia are decreased when effective oral health care regimens were implemented in a care setting (J Am Geriatr Soc 50: 430-433, 2002).
Poor oral health impacts a resident’s ability to communicate, including the enjoyment of sharing memories and experiences with family and carers on a day-to-day basis.
Teeth are an essential part of an individuals’ diet and nutrition. The ability to eat and enjoy food is central to everyday wellbeing.
The absence of pain, either from the teeth themselves or from the soft tissues of the mouth is also central to a persons overall wellbeing and unless treated may negatively impact their day-to-day life.
This also extends to false teeth, which also require simply daily maintenance and checks for food residue and fit. Gums shrink with age and this may affect the fit and function of dentures.
Oral health care also features in personal care plans and is regularly audited by the Caring For Smiles team, the Scotland-wide oral health promotion programme for staff in care homes.
Registration with a dental care service is a central premise of this programme. However, many care settings fail to recognise that registration means more than having the number of a dentist to call should anything go wrong. Registration can only take place if a person has had an oral health care check by a dentist in Scotland.
Many care homes struggle to find a dental care service for their setting. Dental Care At Home provides effective oral heath care regimes as well as regular routine checks. We are equipped to visit a care setting and play a significant role in contributing to the quality of life of people in a care home setting.
At Dental Care At Home we offer enhanced features that go beyond what you might be used to from a dental care service:
- Care home friendly with portable equipment for better removal of dental decay where appropriate.
- FREE dental health and oral cancer checks.
- It’s easy to switch; Registration only requires a dental check-up visit. We sort the rest!
- Your service is fully-managed by us; we remember all your routine check dates.
- Our reporting tools integrate with your record keeping and Caring For Smiles Audit and include an online management and reporting portal for easy access to information at every stage.
- Friendly and professional domiciliary coordinators when you call us.
- NHS fees if patients are not exempt, with itemised plans to engage with families.
One of our care home clients based in Glasgow when we contacted them about dental care had been given poor audit scores following visits from the Caring For Smiles team.
They were also experiencing fragmented and ad hoc dental visits.
After listening to the care home team and assessing the audit by Caring For Smiles, we knew exactly what needed to be done. Our coordinators guided the care home team to schedule visits for dental examinations that included:
- Oral cancer checks
- Return visits to carry out simple treatments.
- Attending a residents meeting to speak with the care home residents about the service.
Our reporting process supported:
- The Caring For Smiles audit requirements
- The routine completion of resident Care Plans to assist care teams on a day to day basis.
Now our clientcan relax, safe in the knowledge his care home dental care is carried out entirely by us carefully and efficiently, while improving the quality of life for his residents.
The care home manager had this to say:
“The team provide continuity and consistency – they schedule visits, deliver great service and help complete the documentation. An essential care home dentist!”
Manager
Glasgow Care Home
