Caring for Smiles is Scotland’s national oral health promotion, training and support programme for older people, particularly those living in care homes. A number of resources are available:
Information on caring for your own oral health or for someone you know or care for.
Remember to keep your mouth healthy as this helps you eat, drink, and speak.
Poor oral health has also been increasingly linked to a number of health problems including pneumonia.
If you have your own teeth, dentures, or even no natural teeth, it is important to look after your mouth.
People should be encouraged to look after their own teeth, but if someone you know or care for needs help with keeping their mouth clean the following information is also for you.
Your own teeth:
- Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste
- one of the times that you brush your teeth should be just before bed.
- Use a pea sized amount of toothpaste.
- Spit out the toothpaste but don’t rinse your mouth out as this will wash away the fluoride in the toothpaste.
- If you, or the person you care for, has swallowing difficulties, a non-foaming toothpaste can be used.
Dentures:
- Clean your dentures with a denture brush or regular toothbrush and non-perfumed soap or denture cream (don’t use toothpaste as this is too abrasive)
- If you have plastic dentures, soak your dentures once a day in sodium hypochlorite for 20 minutes after cleaning.
- Sodium hypochlorite is usually used for disinfecting babies feeding bottles and the same manufacturer’s instructions on dilution should be used.
- If you have dentures with any metal parts, soak your dentures once a day in chlorhexidine, which can be bought over the counter at pharmacies or by prescription.
- In rare cases people can be allergic to chlorhexidine, so check for this.
- Once you have soaked your dentures, rinse well in cold water.
- Dentures should be taken out overnight and placed in fresh water using for example a denture pot.
If you have no teeth or dentures:
- It is still important to keep your mouth clean.
- You can do this using a soft, small headed toothbrush or using damp gauze.
- If you are looking after someone else’s mouth use damp gauze around a gloved finger.
More information in available in the Caring for Smiles Oral care for older people who need support: a guide for friends and family.
Living with Dementia
If you, or someone you know or care for, has had a diagnosis of dementia, it is important to look after your mouth.
When you have a diagnosis, an early appointment with a dentist can be helpful to have a check-up and some information on how to maintain good oral health at home. This is even more important if you have restorative or cosmetic work such as dental implants which require high levels of oral hygiene.
We have worked with Alzheimer Scotland to produce an information sheet which will give you information.