Ideas for Brushing Teeth

Joe C.

i am looking for any ideas for getting DW to brush her teeth which has become increasingly difficult. For a while I have been trying to brush my teeth along with her so she could mimic what I was doing in the mirror but that is not really working anymore. I have tried to brush her teeth myself but she won’t allow me to do that. I’m open to give anything a try at this point.

Ed1937

No magic words from me, but I hope others have some. My wife brushes her teeth, but not often enough. I'll be keeping an eye on this thread.

David J

Is she using an electric tooth brush? DW started using one when her tremors got bad. Now, I put toothpaste on it, put it against her teeth and turn it on. She takes over from there, sometimes with a little cueing from me. She doesn’t do a thorough job, so I also have her swish a little mouth wash in her mouth.

LadyTexan

This is a challenge in our home too. 

DH uses the Oral B Genius electric tooth brush. 

1. I prepare the brush with tooth paste. 
2. I put it in his mouth then I have to physically place his hand around the base of the toothbrush. 
3. I press the on button and he moves it around in his mouth. After he brushes he takes the brush out of his mouth flinging tooth paste splatter all around. 
4. Then I turn off the brush for him.
5. After brushing, he rinses with a product called Closys. 
6. I praise him for a job well done after brushing and also after rinsing. 
7. I kiss him on the lips and tell him mmmmm his breath is fresh

DH now brushes much less than the recommended 2 minutes (twice a day). Honestly, its more like 30 seconds once a day (on a good day). I consider it a win because I suspect there will be a day when the battle becomes more fierce than the benefit. DH's teeth are especially problematic for his young age. I hope his teeth hold out for as long as he is able to eat solid food.

The Oral B Genius was a generous gift from my cousin. It is has a feature that I have not set-up yet in which you connect the toothbrush to blue tooth. Once set up, you can see on a smart phone the progress of the brushing. Once I set it up, I'll let you know my experience. That is if I set it up. I am cautious about the Internet of Things (IoT).

In Austin Texas there is a mobile dentist that makes house calls to elderly and disabled customers for a fee. I don't think that is available where we live.

Good luck to you all.

Joe C.

DW is now intimidated by the electric toothbrush so she gone back to manual brushing. I have tried Colsys as well but she really doesn’t understand that she is not suppose to drink it.

Beachfan

When DH last brushed his own teeth (probably 2 years ago), he only brushed one side, on the outside alone, over and over and over.  We are at the point where I brush his teeth twice a day.  He won’t keep his mouth open so only the outside teeth get brushed, but it’s better than nothing and he is cooperative.  I give him apple slices to help clean his teeth and I’ve cancelled routine dental cleanings and check ups as he couldn’t process directions to “open your mouth” (he will open then clamp shut).  I pray there are no dental emergencies on the horizon.  Good luck!  One more hurdle to overcome.  It never ends.

M1

I don't mean this facetiously, I wonder if there is a human equivalent to Dentastix for dogs?  Some sort of chewing gum that would also clean teeth?  IDK if someone with dementia would know not to swallow it though.  I'll have to Google this.

French

Here teeth brushing is still possible but very quickly done and certainly not very efficient. It's done only if I m there. Mimic is efficient, when I brush my teeth he does the same, but in much less time.

He has very good teeth and he has never had a single cavity , so I don't worry about that, just about hygien.

I asked the dentist and she advised to use mouthwash, but now, I'm thinking that it can be tricky to explain not to swallow it. Perhaps here also, imitation can be a good solution

LadyTexan

M1 - 

Yes there are teeth cleaning chews for humans. They are sometimes carried in health food stores. Just Google teeth cleaning chews for humans.

BE AWARE that a common ingredient in some of the human chews is Xylitol which is very dangerous to dogs. Keep the Xylitol away from dogs.

JJAz

So difficult.  We increased dental cleanings to 4 times per year to help make up for poor dental hygiene.  That helped a lot.

Joe C.

That you to all for your input. If I have any success I’ll report back.

Jo C.

Warning:  As for the xylitol; it's number one side effect can be . . . . diarrhea; often explosive, so just be very aware of the possibility if you decide to use such a product for your LO.

There are disposable foam mouthcare "sticks," the ones I have seen are mint flavored in a pink foam top on a stick; it is wet and rubbed on teeth; some tolerate that better than a toothbrush, but again; an individual thing.  Warning:  If your LO tends to bite down and pull; I would have concern about the ead coming off and perhaps being a choking hazard.  I have seen this mouth cleaner used in hospitals with patients who could not assist themselves.

As for mobile dentists; many NHs have access to such a service; so if this is something you need, you can make some calls and see if that is something available in your area.

J.

LadyTexan

Jo C. wrote:

Warning:  As for the xylitol; it's number one side effect can be . . . . diarrhea; often explosive, so just be very aware of the possibility if you decide to use such a product for your LO.

***

Lady Texan wrote:

Thank you for the heads up regarding the diarrhea. I had no idea. I will pass on anything with xylitol in it.

Marie58

We switched to a kids mouthwash as DH was sometimes swallowing rather than spitting out the adult kind. It's safe if he happens to swallow it. Read the labels to make sure.

2 Young

Our attempts at brushing are becoming less and less successful while at the same time are becoming more humorous. We stand next to each other and brush together also. DH recently started making faces in the mirror and I have started making them back, leading to laughter on both of our parts. Now instead of dreading this time I sort of look forward to it.

Jo C.

Just had a thought;   Toothbrushes; what helped my LO was to have a young child's toothbrush; it had a small head and also is very soft; I chose the softest one for comfort and she was more amenable to her toothbrushing.

If your wife is delighted by new "pretties," perhaps a child's toothbrush with small soft head that is also in a pretty color or even shaped like a pretty character may make her want to use it????  Just an idea.

Also, children's toothpaste comes in different yummy flavors, perhaps that would help and if she swallows it, no harm due to children's toothpaste having to be safe to swallow.

J.

Iris L.

I just bought a WaterPik water flosser.  It's good for cleaning particles and plaque from teeth.  

Iris

Michael Ellenbogen

Try turning on music and use the electric tooth brush and make it a fun time.

anneleigh

DH is having trouble with electric toothbrush.  Even though I prefer for him to use it, perhaps a regular toothbrush is in order.  He does not understand what to do and when to push the on button.  Definitely a challenge.

MyMaxie

For the last week I have given up on the whole oral hygiene task for my sanity. DH went for a routine cleaning last week and unbeknownst to me he was using a toothbrush head so broken down it couldn't accomplish anything. Yes, we have extra electric toothbrush heads and manual toothbrushes. He also at some point has quit using the waterpik. His periodontal disease is back. He has been clenching his front teeth together so hard they have become misaligned and he has worn the enamel at the back of his teeth away. The dentist's suggestion was to put him in invisaligns for approximately $5,000. Husband will not and never has complied with any medical suggestion that is not in the form of a pill.  He insisted to the dentist he wanted the invisaligns. Due to COVID they only wanted the patient in the room but then I guess had a change of heart and I was called in. DH said he would have no trouble wearing invisaligns yet he has never worn his night guard, support hose, etc. religiously and now those are daily battles which I lose more than win.  Someone suggested I call local nursing and/or memory care facilities to get the names of dentists they use for him.  All I know is that our current dentist is not comfortable and possibly familiar with the challenges of someone with AZ.  Tomorrow I shall begin making phone calls to local special needs facilities to see if they will share the name of the dentist(s) they refer to.

JoDavis

Why don't you use an electric toothbrush? It is more convenient to use. It helps to avoid bacterias and plaque buildup. Also, try to use mouthwash regularly. Visit your dentist atleast once every four month. All these will help to maintain a good oral hygiene of your DW.

HowDoYouDeal

If brushing itself is a problem, using a toothbrush that can clean beyond where the bristles reach can help to break down biofilm. 

I did a little research and apparently both Sonicare and OralB -the 3D version, can create what they call Fluid Dynamics.

Fluid dynamics. –This is considered only a secondary cleaning action but it’s what makes sonic toothbrushes special. 

Fluid dynamics refers to the process where the intense vibrational speed of the brush’s sonically oscillating bristles agitate the fluids (water, saliva) that surround the user’s teeth, to the degree that they’re able to disrupt dental plaque colonies even beyond where the bristles of the brush actually touch.

If you are paying for dental expenses out of pocket, and there are problems with bacteria, or receding gums, you may want to Compare the cost of a toothbrush that can help clean beyond the bristles, against the cost of the procedure and materials of traditional dental practices.

 

I have an Ultrasonic toothbrush that I bought to save my cat's teeth, it cost less than having the teeth pulled. 

Its called Emmi-dent. Another company that makes actual Ultrasonic toothbrush is Smilex, I can't remember the third.

My Emmi-dent has fixed my receding gums and bleeding gums 

and the Emmi-pet cured my cats tooth re-adsorption, even though the vet swore up and down those teeth could be removed by him, kindly ( charge per tooth, charge for anesthesia, )

or his body would push the teeth right out of his gums, which is an incredibly painful process.  We got the cat a $300 toothbrush and saved the teeth.

The cat toothbrush doesn't make any sound, or vibration, nothing to scare him. Most Emmi-dents have Sonic vibrations as well, but in the NEW ones, that is a feature that you can turn on or off.

HowDoYouDeal

Toothpaste that is available in some countries in Europe and Japan,  have calcium that's bioavilable. Try Repair and Protect, but only the one that says powered with Novamin.

 

https://medium.com/@ravenstine/the-curious-history-of-novamin-toothpaste-620c6bef8881

The curious history of NovaMin toothpaste

Ten Bitcomb

Apr 11, 2018·6 min read

I buy my toothpaste from overseas through eBay. Wonder why?

there's also Tooth Mousse or M1 paste, both by GSK, I think

CPP-ACP

Novamin is a brand name. look for calcium sodium phosphosilicate

https://elemental.medium.com/why-is-the-internet-obsessed-with-this-cult-toothpaste-963dda060501

Studies have found that NovaMin is effective in treating dentin hypersensitivity, treating caries(the study was carried out on artificial caries), and even enhancing the effectiveness of fluoride by 50%.

NovaMin might be particularly beneficial to the elderly. According to a 2007 article from The Guardian:

Researchers have found fluoride ceases to be as effective with older people. That’s because the elderly have more difficulty generating the large amounts of saliva — loaded with calcium and phosphate — necessary to combine with fluoride to resist the demineralisation of teeth.

NovaMin would provide the missing minerals required for the process of protecting teeth with fluoride.

OR

Tooth Mousse is a topical oral health product that was developed at the Melbourne Dental School, University of Melbourne.

Tooth Mousse comes in the form of a foamy crème, and is available in a range of flavours including: Melon, Strawberry, Tutti-Frutti, Mint and Vanilla.

Tooth Mousse contains casein (a major milk protein), as well as calcium and phosphate. Calcium and phosphate are the major minerals that teeth are made from.

Tooth Mousse is available in two product options: with or without fluoride. The general Tooth Mousse product does not contain fluoride, whereas Tooth Mousse Plus does contain fluoride.

Tooth Mousse is not toothpaste. It is made of milk products so swallowing the product is safe and it can be used throughout the day.

What does Tooth Mousse do?

Tooth Mousse has been shown to remineralise decayed teeth by replenishing lost calcium and phosphate, and restore subsurface areas of defect in teeth enamel.

Too tired to format

What do we know about the product?

The product has been available in the Australian market since 2006. TMP is distributed globally by GC Corporation and GC America. In Japan, Europe, the United States of America, and South America, TMP is known as MI Paste Plus®. TMP contains a milk-derived protein called RECALDENT® with incorporated fluoride (CPP-ACPF: Casein Phosphopeptide-Amorphous Calcium Phosphate Fluoride). The level of fluoride in TMP is 900 ppm.

RECALDENT® or Casein Phosphopeptide-Amorphous Calcium Phosphate (CPP-ACP) is a unique ingredient derived from naturally occurring protein found in cow’s milk. RECALDENT® is exported worldwide and used as ingredient in various functional foods and dental products. The CPP-ACP technology is the result of many years of research at the University of Melbourne into the anticariogenic properties of milk. There is a high-level of evidence supporting the ability of CPP-ACP to remineralise early caries lesions and prevent their progression [10,11,12,13,14]. There are now twelve published systematic meta-analyses of these clinical studies to support the use of CPP-ACP to lower caries risk [11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22]. In addition, CPP-ACP effectiveness has also been demonstrated in relation to the reduction of cariogenic bacteria and increased colonization of commensal microorganisms, and the reduction of dentine hypersensitivity [23,24,25,26].

In brief, calcium, phosphate, and fluoride within TMP are available in a soluble form—this means the product provides extra protection for teeth, buffers dental plaque acid from bacteria in the mouth and protects teeth from acidic foods and drinks. A dental professional can advise on how often and for how long one should apply TMP. Application should occur after brushing teeth. It is important to acknowledge that TMP does not replace the use of fluoride toothpaste. TMP is available in strawberry, vanilla, and mint flavours (Fig. 1).

KatieKat1

I have read there is dental gum that can be chewed and will clean the teeth at the same time. If you look around the web you will find that there are various brands to choose from. I believe some of these brands you can purchase from amazon.com. Since my dear husband is stage 6 he will still chew gum but I have to keep a close watch so he doesn't choke on it. I usually let him chew it for about 10 minutes and then I take it away if it's still in his mouth but usually after 10 minutes he has had enough of it and spits it out.  Most of these type of chewing gums are sugarless.

Erinwaran

I think you can try making brushing a fun activity. You could try singing a silly song, letting them choose their toothbrush and toothpaste with fun colors and flavors, or even playing a game where they have to race to see who can brush the longest. Another idea could be to make brushing a part of their daily routine, like reading a story or watching a favorite show. Maybe incorporating it into their bedtime routine could help.
You could try talking to your dentist about remineralization. It's a process where minerals like calcium and phosphate are naturally deposited back into the teeth to help strengthen the enamel and prevent tooth decay.

gampiano

Hello,

So... my DH would never initiate brushing on his own, so I tried this idea:

Each morning  we have coffee, breakfast. etc. Then we listen to relaxing music on my phone. While this is going on, I get our toothbrushes and paste which I keep in the kitchen area (along with shaving tools, depends, etc.) I start brushing my own teeth in. front of him, and then hand him his toothbrush with a bit of paste on it. he can spit in a plate that we've used at b breakfast. 

This has worked well so far. Were three months in to this routine. It's worth a try. 

Pipsmom

This is the closest thing I could find.  It doesn't replace teeth brushing but its something: 

Hyperbiotics PRO-Dental for Oral Health