dental care for bedridden mother w/Alzheimer's

Yes, we have hospice care. And I've been asking the nurses for months what to do about her teeth. They have no idea.

Thank you. I spoke with her dentist this past summer and he has no idea what to do. Getting her to a dentist would be very difficult, but not impossible.

But as the tooth is beyond repair, I imagine that extraction is the only option. In her condition, she will not tolerate any gauze or anything in her mouth. And as the location is bottom front, it will be aggravated by everything she eats and drinks. I have no idea how a tooth (particularly in the front) can be extracted and heal properly in a person with advanced Alzheimer's.

Yes, the Lord is great and His design perfect.

My Mom is on blood thinners, but even with people not on blood thinners (like me), there was bleeding with the only tooth extraction I ever had. And the area of the extraction had to be avoided for several days.

Regarding anesthetic, the oral surgeon told me at the time of her previous extraction, that she cannot be put under with her Alzheimer's. They removed the tooth while she was awake. She was given a pill by her doctor to calm her, and by the grace of God was fine that time.

And even more miraculously — didn't bleed…

…until about 5 hours later, when she spit. Then she bled for two hours. If she did that now, it would be horrendous, as she can't follow directions.

At the time of the previous extraction her dementia was far less severe than it is now. At that time, she was like a four old. Not great, but enough to understand and attempt to follow directions. Now, she's like a newborn, and can't understand or follow directions.

Also, the previous extraction was a back tooth. This one is in the front, on the bottom, impossible to avoid when eating. She would be aggravating it every time she ate.

Thank you. I've checked, and thus far can find no mobile dentists in this area. The closest I can find are in metro NYC and Philly, both about 130 miles away.

I don't think it's causing her pain presently.

While it would be difficult getting her to a dentist, the bigger problem would be the recovery. She's like an infant and can't follow instructions. Any extraction at the front of her mouth would be constantly irritated when she ate, and she'd be fussing around the wound with her tongue.

The lady who comes to help wash her on weekends looked at it and said she would leave it alone for now. Thing is, decay gets worse with time, not better. And there is decay at the gumline on most (if not all) of her bottom teeth. I don't know what to do.

Hope things go better for your Dad.

I considered it falling out on its own, but that the presents the same problem — bleeding and an open wound. Falling out on its own may be an even bigger problem, as it won't be in a dentist's office where they can try to handle it (at least initially).

It's not a good situation at all.