Common Treatments Nursing Home Patients Need

November 13, 2018

We know that if you have a loved one living in a nursing home, perhaps the Patriarch or Matriarch of your family, that their daily care is always on your mind. It’s hard for younger family generations to admit that mom, dad, grandma or grandpa just needs a level of ‘round the clock care following a medical event like a stroke, or a diagnosis such as Alzheimer’s, that can simply no longer be provided in an in-home setting. Easing your mind and providing your loved one with the best in class level of dental care is exactly why Los Angeles County dentist Dr. Banner started In Motion Dentists. As a mobile Southern California dentist who provides nursing home dental care routinely throughout the week, he’s provided this list of common treatments for other nursing home patients.

• Routine Dental Cleanings: Being in a nursing home or even being bed bound is no reason to skip a biannual teeth cleanings as part of your nursing home dental care. Because oral health status is linked to other higher risk conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and increased risk of developing pneumonia, it’s important for your loved one to receive regular dental cleanings even if he or she has limited or no natural teeth remaining
• Emergency Care: While some nursing home residents can have difficulty communicating, such as those recovering from a stroke, if you or your family member’s team of care providers think your loved one is suffering from a tooth infection or other emergency ailment, it’s important that he or she be seen immediately by Dr. Banner. Part of nursing home dental care is taking care of these emergencies in a timely fashion to ensure safety and overall comfort. Dr. Banner is available to make emergency nursing home visits after hours in Los Angeles County.
• Dentures Replacement: While some nursing home patients are on a strict liquid diet, it’s possible that your family member with dentures takes pride in the fact that he or she can still eat a solid food meal. But if he or she needs dentures replaced, it can be very difficult to coordinate with a nearby dentists office to have that procedure performed. Dr. Banner performs this nursing home dental care directly in your loved one’s room, where he or she is most familiar and comfortable, without the hassle of arranging for off-site On the contrary, Dr. Banner makes all of his dental equipment portable so that it can fit into any available space he has to work in.
• Filling of Cavities: If your loved one has a swallowing problem, he or she likely also exhibits food pocketing, which is when food accumulates in the cheeks as he or she is eating, and remains there for a significant time afterward. This condition can also lead to root cavities, in which a cavity develops at the root of the teeth. These types of cavities are difficult to diagnosis by oral inspection alone. As a mobile provider of nursing home dental care for Los Angeles County residents, Dr. Banner has all the portable medical equipment needed to perform a complete oral examination of your loved one with a swallowing problem. This includes inspecting the cheeks for food accumulation, taking X-rays to diagnosis hard to see root cavities, and filling root cavities – all from their nursing home facility without ever having to arrange for transportation to a dentist’s office.

Contact In Motion Dentists to Learn More

If you have a family member living in a Los Angeles County nursing home, nursing home dental care should be a part of their overall treatment plan. If you have questions about our mobile dentistry services for patients in skilled nursing centers, call our office today at (626) 210-0941.