Checklists - Life events/Iifestyle related care

Lifestyle/life events related care checklists are intended to support you in your effort to provide personalised care for patients confronted with changes in their life.

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Patients with dexterity issues

  • The oral health of people with disabilities is complicated by their condition: use consistent, friendly and encouraging instruction to recommend oral hygiene regimen adapted to people living with dexterity issues
  • Provide comfort and encouragement, minimize stress, and share instructions for proper senior oral care
  • Recommend making more frequent visits to the dentist to ensure prompt and proper dental hygiene

Complete or review patient screener - has something changed?

  • Inquire if there is a care provider who can support senior with dexterity issues
  • If applicable, recommend ways in which oral health services can be made accessible to patient
  • Encourage patient to avoid sugary foods and drinks

  • For senior patients with dentures, encourage cleaning dentures daily with non-abrasive denture-care products or cleansers
  • When dentures are removed, encourage senior patient to gently brush tongue, gums, and palate with a soft-bristled toothbrush for proper oral care
  • Remind standard toothpaste can be abrasive and may damage dentures
  • Budget permitting, recommend power brushes to better care for gingival inflammation and plaque levels. They also reduce the difficulty of manoeuvring a manual toothbrush
  • Seniors with dexterity issues may be unable or disinclined to use floss. Always recommend interdental brushes/rubber interdental cleaners that can make it easier to clean and remove plaque from interproximal spaces
  • Consider daily fluoride mouthrinses or topical applications that can help your senior patient fight tooth decay
  • Remind to change toothbrush or toothbrush head at least every 12 weeks and interdental cleaners as recommended on pack

Download the guidebook

Patients experiencing stress

  • Patients experiencing stressful lives may require closer monitoring and more vigilant maintenance of their oral health, above and beyond what is required for less stressed individuals.        

Stressed patients are more likely to suffer from:

  • Poor oral hygiene due to mood changes, which may cause patients to take less care or avoid brushing altogether
  • Overeating and snacking on sugary food or drinks
  • Canker sores
  • Teeth grinding, which when excessive can cause TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder) or broken, chipped or cracked teeth
  • Discuss and inquire medication use: antidepressant drugs may cause salivary gland hypofunction and hence dry mouth
  • Patients with a dry mouth may complain of associated dryness of the lips and throat, oral soreness or burning, altered taste sensations and halitosis. They may find chewing, swallowing and speaking difficult. The risk of candidiasis is increased
  • For patients with dentures, the lack of an adequate salivary film between dentures and underlying gums can impair retention of dentures, and the lack of salivary lubrication can lead to denture-induced mucosal ulceration

Complete or review patient screener - has something changed?

  • Remember that psychological stress appears to contribute to poor oral health systemically in combination with other chronic diseases
  • Inquire about medication use to check for antidepressants

  • Provide comfort and encouragement, minimize stress, and share instructions for proper oral care
  • Recommend 2-minute brushing twice daily, if appropriate, with a toothpaste that helps fight dry mouth
  • Explain interdental cleaning helps to clean where a toothbrush cannot; recommend interdental brush or rubber interdental cleaner to clean between each and every tooth daily
  • Remind to change toothbrush or toothbrush head at least every 12 weeks and interdental cleaners as recommended on pack
  • Recommend mouthwashes that provide gentle and effective relief from dry mouth – when appropriate
  • Recommend making more frequent visits to the dentist to ensure prompt and proper dental hygiene

Download the guidebook

Smokers

Use consistent, friendly and encouraging instruction.

  • Explain that smokers are more likely to develop periodontitis. It compromises the immune response so the body cannot fight bacteria properly, it impairs healing of damaged gums, and causes a shift towards a more pathogenic dental biofilm
  • Explain that nicotine and tar stain teeth, can give teeth a yellow colour in a very short time
  • Inform that people who smoke are more likely to have bad breath

Gently remind patients that:

  • Smoking damages the mouth, gums and teeth
  • A proper oral hygiene plan is extremely important for smokers

Complete or review patient screener - has something changed?

Be aware that smoking can lead to tooth staining, gum disease, tooth loss, and, in more severe cases, mouth cancer.

Follow up on patient overall health over time and inquire about medication use if other conditions appear

  • Recommend 2-minute brushing twice daily, interdental cleaning and use of a tongue cleaner and mouthwash at least twice daily
  • Recommend whitening toothpastes. Because these are a little more abrasive, you may recommend using then alternately with standard toothpastes

 
  • Explain that interdental cleaning helps to clean where a toothbrush cannot; recommend interdental brush or rubber interdental cleaner
  • Remind to change toothbrush or toothbrush head at least every 12 weeks and interdental cleaners as recommended on pack
  • Recommend tongue cleaners and mouthwashes to help disguise bad breath in the short term (but remind it will not cure it)
  • Encourage smokers to see their hygienist and dentist for regular examination

Download the guidebook

Pregnant patients

  • Remind patient that pregnancy is a time when oral health is more important than ever. Inform patient that while they may have enjoyed good dental health in the past, they may encounter a few oral health issues during pregnancy.

Look out for the following in your pregnant patients:

  • Pregnancy gingivitis, starting at about 8 weeks, and peaking in the 8th month and ending shortly after delivery. This is due to increased levels of hormones and altered immune function, and is very common
  • Look out for pregnancy granulomas in about 10% of women
  • Look out for tooth/acid erosion – teeth with a lack of surface luster and yellowing as the enamel is dissolved away, possibly caused by severe morning sickness with frequent vomiting
  • Gently remind patient that this is a great time to strive to have the best oral hygiene

  • Recommend patient eat a well-balanced diet as much as possible
  • Encourage patient to look after self, especially oral health after the baby has arrived and to take child to first dental visit before first birthday

  • Recommend 2-minute brushing twice daily, using a toothbrush with tapered bristles to reach below the gum line and between teeth
  • Use fluoride toothpaste twice a day, brushing with it for 2 minutes to gain maximum benefit
  • Explain interdental cleaning helps to clean where a toothbrush cannot; recommend interdental brush or rubber interdental cleaner to clean between each and every tooth daily
  • Maintain regular check-up visits during and after pregnancy
  • Remind to change toothbrush or toothbrush head at least every 12 weeks and interdental cleaners as recommended on pack

Download the guidebook