Should I be worried about infection? She's not in any pain and still has a healthy appetite. She has regular hygienist appointments every 3 months and there was not a concern about her teeth until her last visit. But, to me the teeth she has left don't look good. The tooth that fell out was already loose from her bridge rubbing on it in the past. The dentist is coming out to check on her but I don't know if she'll allow him to check out her teeth. What would you do?
My aunt is 99 with advanced dementia and she stopped wearing her partials and bridges. Her dentist filed (or cut) down the teeth in those areas and she does still have other teeth, but is missing about 50% of them. She still manages to eat most foods. Chasing after dental care can be a black hole of time and money with very little gain for the LO. Your mom's health and comfort is the goal, so monitoring for infection would be my strategy going forward.
My DH aunt, 94 and with dementia frequently takes her upper plate out when she eats. She hasn’t worn the lowers in years. I worry she will lose the uppers as it would be next to impossible to go through being fitted again. She manages very well with her diet which has been primarily soft foods for many years.
So I agree, if no infection, then she should be fine.
Since the dentist is coming to her, that’s great. Good job on making that happen. Hopefully she will allow him to take a peek inside. Perhaps you could get her to open wide for some snap shots with your cell phone beforehand. That might let her practice and be of some benefit to the dentist.
When my daughter was a little girl she would say that she didn’t mind going to the dentist, she just didn’t want him putting his hands in her mouth. Hopefully her dentist will only need to take a look and find all is well.
Have the dentist come and check her out anyway. He'll probably tell you the same thing. It's still important to keep up on her oral hygiene though. Even though her remaining teeth don't look good there could be nothing actually wrong with them.
Do the least you can possibly do for your mother's teeth/mouth situation, that's my advice. As long as she can eat, she's good to go. If she's like my mother, she can wolf down ice cream like there's no tomorrow and they need NO teeth to do that! LOL
I agree! Why can’t people be like sharks that generate new teeth when others fall out? LOL.
God goofed with designing our teeth!
Funny thing is one of the last times I went to our "family" dentist (childhood+), the hygienist took x-rays and asked me if I had my wisdom teeth out. I should think they would know whether or not I had any to begin with, since they take x-rays every year! I said no. So she said I don't have any. Good. My wisdom wasn't wasted on teeth AND I won't have to have them removed!
Do I look like the Tooth Fairy?? 😄
I was there today with er hospice nurse, and we checked her mouth to find out she's not missing A tooth -- she's missing three!
The nurse said that absent an infection or red swollen gums, loosing teeth is just another of the indignities of old age. You adjust their diet as needed and move on.
Not in a million years would I subject my mother to a dentist, bridges, or dentures at this point, so we'll just soften up some of her meals (she consumes very little beyond Ensure anyway) and continue as before.
for your mom, I also would not recommend a new denture, partial or bridge etc. keep the teeth she has cleaned with anti cavity toothpaste and a mild fluoride mouthwash like Act to help prevent decay. It would be helpful if she can have the hygienist continue to help maintain the ones she has left. If she has dry mouth, the fluoride rinse is even more important. Bioteen makes great products for dry mouth. Find them on the dental aisle of a drug store.
Teeth fall out all our lives.
As long as it's not bothering her.
As long as there is no infection.
As long as she has no underlying cardiac disease that might put her at risk if there is an infection.
I would not do anything about it.
Chances are if she is not compliant with someone poking around in her mouth in order to do anything they would have to use medication to relax her, put her in twilight sleep possibly and it may take a long time to recover from that.
If she is willing to have someone look to determine if there is an infection that would be helpful. I would treat the infection but go no further.
IF she is not on a soft, pureed diet she may be headed that way due to oral health but with advanced dementia pureed foods is pretty much the norm.
If there is no infection or fear of her swallowing a tooth, let her eat what she wants or thinks she can. Her gums will get tougher thru use.