Supporting Dental Care for Someone with Dementia

Routine tasks become more difficult for someone with dementia, including dental care. Here are some tips that can make the task less stressful for everyone. Because abilities can vary based on the stage of dementia and even from day to day, not each idea will work every time, so be patient and creative.

• Let go of the need to have dental care done perfectly each time
• Break the process into basic, incremental steps
• Try handing your care recipient the toothbrush already prepared with toothpaste--they may be able to take it from there
• Purchase easy to use pre-strung floss holders and demonstrate how they are used
• Purchase a good tasting (non stinging) mouth rinse as a backup if brushing won’t work that day (find one that is safe to swallow as they may not understand they are to spit it out)
• Try writing the steps on a sheet of paper on the mirror
• If the process is unsuccessful the first time, let it go and try again later
• Consider purchasing an electric toothbrush that you can brush their teeth with
• Call the dentist before an appointment and explain the dementia diagnosis and how it effects your care recipient
• You may need to schedule short, incremental visits to get one procedure completed
• Find a dentist with staff who understand dementia and are willing to be patient
• Research whether there are any home-delivered dental care services in your area (some states allow private practice dental hygienists, many of whom offer in-home services)