Implementing Oral health Assessment Tool To Improve Oral Care In Older Adults At Cornerstone Nursing Home
Annastacia N. Mburu
Mt Hood Community College: Nursing department
Having good oral health is very important as it can help keep away many diseases which occur as a result of poor oral hygiene. As people age, many factors can contribute to poor oral health: potential physical, cognitive and sensory impairments associated with aging and diseases, Use of prescription and over the counter medications, lack of dental insurance, and poor oral care. Most older adults live in nursing homes where oral health is not very well implemented due to other major health problems which are given the first priority. This puts them at risk for major diseases
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This is a tool that assesses oral health in elderly individuals which covers the patient's current oral health status including factors which can contribute to the risk of oral disease and indicate the need for referral. The tool includes Observation, measurement and palpation of oral cavity, surrounding tissues and natural or artificial teeth by the nurses and caregivers in the facility using a pen light, tongue depressor, and gauze. The OHAT assessment tool covers ten oral hygiene categories: lymph nodes, lips, tongue, cheek and roof of mouth, gums, saliva, natural teeth, artificial teeth, chewing position, and oral cleanliness. The conditions of the oral cavity, surrounding tissues and natural or artificial teeth are examined and graded. The descriptors illustrate what to look for in a progressive manner from normal tissue to diseased tissue which is rated by the examiner using a 3 point scale (0, 1, 2); 0 indicating the healthy end and 2 the unhealthy end of the scale. The final score is the sum of the scores. The higher the score the more the problems identified therefore from there the nurse would know who to refer to dental evaluation and …show more content…
The implementation of the OHAT tool would be very helpful in Cornerstone Nursing home because it would help improve the overall oral health in most individuals. It would help the staff identify the needs of every resident in terms of oral care and the equipment needed to perform the task, which will also involve stocking each residents rooms with oral supplies. The tool will also help us identify residents who need dentist referral for oral examination which will help in prevention of many diseases which result from poor oral care. Due to the tool being user friendly as identified by the research, there will be involvement of more staff personnel to help with assessment making it easy to maintain oral health, as all staff would feel important because they are performing higher task. Minimal time is used to assess patients using the tool therefore assignments of six residents every Monday around 10:00 am to two staff personnel in the facility would be a good starting point of implementation. Understanding that some people have fear of the dentist especially when they see all the lights and scary tools the dentist use to assess them; using this tool will minimize the fear of oral assessment as the resident will be more reluctant in the absence of intimidating tools. This implementation will also be very helpful to residents who doesn’t have dental insurance. I strongly believe that this
When you are practicing good dental hygiene, you will surely be in a much better oral health. The problem is that a lot of us neglect the proper taking care of our teeth and gum. This is when most oral diseases start and also the reason why the dental health category is a multi-million, if not a multi-billion, dollar industry.
As I started my new journey of becoming a dental hygienist, I came into the program with no background of dental. I came into this program with an open mind and willing to embrace new concepts as well as develop new skills. During my time at the Canadian Academy of Dental Hygiene (CADH), I learned that as a dental hygienist that I am committed to promoting and helping each individual achieve their optimal oral health goals. In support of my client’s goals, I may assume any or all of the roles included in the dental hygiene scope of practice. My goal throughout this program was to help my clients achieve their optimal oral health goals through education, health promotion and providing preventive and clinical therapy.
Not only do they face the obvious challenges with their memory but also often have diminished physical ability and when one adds the possibility of xerostomia from medication it only makes the situation worse. Dental professionals should strive to do the best they can to help all people. Practicing dentistry should not be limited to the people who can take care of themselves. It is clear that people are living longer in the world today and with that comes mental and physical deficits. Oral health care does not become less valuable because a person suffers from life threatening diseases, it should continue to maintain its importance. Many of the problems our geriatric population face can be linked directly to lack of proper nutrition and loss of joy from being able to eat certain foods. Furthermore, oral diseases can cause the manifestation of systemic ailments that ultimately will lead to certain health decline. If people do not consider oral hygiene a priority then it is up to Dental professionals to convince them and encourage them to take responsibility. The general populous has neglected the geriatric population, but health care providers seem to be at the forefront by keeping them in focus. Dental health care providers have a duty to be apart of our older populations
Hygienist are the dentists who educate their patients on the importance of oral health care. Hygienist examine any chipped tooth,damage filling,discolored or swollen gums, and also take x-rays, and help prevent tooth decay. Today, dental care focuses on prevention. Preventing tooth decay and related problems is the main job of a dental hygienist. As generations pass, not many people are fully aware of the downside of not properly taking care of their pearly whites. This topic was brought to my attention by noticing the lack of dental hygiene among my peers. This doesn’t necessarily just mean having only cavities, sore gums, but also bad breath.
Over time as individuals age and are faced with access to care issues they may begin to neglect their oral health. As time passes between dental hygiene cleanings or dentist visits the presence of oral disease may begin to increase.
A good dental hygiene is very important for everybody no matter the age. A clean mouth will help us to stay more immune to infection and other risks that periodontitis can cause. Remember to take the time to brush and floss your teeth properly every day to keep your teeth and gums healthy. It is never too early or too late to begin taking care of your
Initially she would perform the exams as learned in school, but now after finding something abnormal, she now does a more thorough check, especially on patients with previous history of cancer. This incident solidified her belief in early detection and proper documentation. By having the information in the patient’s chart Annette could refer back to it and follow up to see if anything has changed since the last visit. Most patients she sees do not have oral cancer but she is able to identify abnormalities and encourage the patient to have them checked to determine if they are precancerous.
In the Dental Hygiene field, many challenges come about every day and during different situations. Every day there are new challenges and unusual situations that occur in the dental field, but one challenge that continues to come about and has been a big dispute over the years is the ability to provide beneficial information about oral health care for the underprivileged. For the individuals that are not fortunate enough to pay to have services done in the dental office, lack the knowledge of how important good oral health care is. They do not receive the one on one conversations explaining the significance of taking care of your teeth and gums that the patients who can afford to make appointments and receive essential services do. That
(1) LOW INCOME AND LACK OF INSURANCE: A number of studies have linked poor oral health with low socioeconomic status. Affordability is identified as major challenge in accessing dental care. “For instance, 17.3 per cent of the whole population (i.e., approximately
8) "Nutrition Index." Gerontology and Geriatric Dentistry n.d.: n. pag. Columbia University Dental Education Software. N.d.
On his initial examination dated 23/06/13 the patient was seen for a routine full mouth scale and polish with reinforced oral hygiene instruction including flossing technique. He presented with excellent oral hygiene at this appointment which was a reflection of his commitment to good oral hygiene; tooth-brushing twice daily and dental flossing once daily. This was further supported by the patients plaque scores at 5% and bleeding scores at 4% with only minimal supra gingival calculus on lower anterior teeth. There was no erythema or oedema present on the gingival tissues.
Cappelli, D. P., & Mobley, C. C. (2008). Prevention in clinical oral health care. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby Elsevier.
Elderly have long been identified as a high risk group for dental disease and poor oral hygiene care. The major barriers to affect good oral hygiene care can include lack of available staff and lack of appropriate oral health knowledge
Petersen, P. E. (2009). Global policy for improvement of oral health in the 21st century–implications to oral health research of World Health Assembly 2007, World Health Organization. Community dentistry and oral epidemiology, 37(1), 1-8.
Excellent oral health includes keeping teeth healthy and looking their best (Dr.Roma M MDS – Conservative Dentistry & Endodontics KMC Hospital). This can be achieved by following the correct techniques, following a dentist’s orders, and plenty of other important rules (Edwards). Maintaining healthy teeth by following proper oral care comes with benefits for a lifetime such as a healthier mouth and prevention of oral problems.