Oral care tip

[Martina_MP]

Just to share in case it helps someone:

My mother has very advanced disease and her tongue doesn’t move well; she has difficulty swallowing and her mouth is usually open, so she mouth-breathes all day. She is immobile and nonverbal and stays in a care facility. On her last trip to the dentist (a caregiver had brushed her teeth beforehand) the hygienist showed me that a dry membrane-like coating had formed on the roof of her mouth from whatever food/drink hadn’t been able to be cleared by her tongue in the process of swallowing. The residue dries with her mouth breathing and adheres. I check her palate regularly now with my mobile phone’s flashlight and then remove any coating with a wet toothbrush—sometimes there is something stuck to her tongue as well. It appears to happen a few times a week, and giving her a thickened drink or even using a Water-Pik isn’t enough to dislodge it. I am in the process of telling the care staff about it.

So I would encourage people to check the palate carefully as part of the oral care routine. Otherwise who knows how long that material may stay there.

[carehope]

Thanks Martina ! That's a great tip to remember regarding mouth care !!!

[Rose1sunflower]

Thanks for making us aware of this potential problem

[Runner333]

Thank you for the mouth care tip. I never realized how much work the tongue does to clear food out from around the mouth.

[LuisRodicioRodicio]

👍