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My mom is stage 7c. She can no longer find the bathroom or operate a faucet and doesn't respond to shower instructions from her aid. Im seeing this as a sign that the traditional dentist visit may no longer work. Anyone go through this? How did you arrange in home dental visits. Ive moved to a pallative care model but id like to maintain some modicum of preventative dental care for as long as possible

My mom's MC brings in a dentist on a regular basis. It seems to work well.
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Reply to JustAnon
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The trip charge alone for the travel dentist to see mom in MC was $240. To have a tooth pulled was over $1000.
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Reply to lealonnie1
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Has your mom had ongoing issues with her teeth that makes you want to get continued care for them? Or is this just for her twice a year cleaning and such?
If it's the latter there has to come a point when dealing with a person in late stages of dementia that you just have to say enough is enough and I'm not going to continue to put them through anymore needless doctors/dentist appointments just to make myself feel like I'm doing what I'm supposedly supposed to.
This now has to be about what is best for your mom and not you. I'm just saying.
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Reply to funkygrandma59
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lealonnie1 May 11, 2026
Amen. As needed on an emergency basis only.
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Will she even be able to comply with instructions from a dentist though? In stage 7 the person may become hyperoral and clamp down on everything introduced to their mouth. If she can still tolerate brushing her teeth, or having it done for her, I'd stick to doing just that at home. You could always call the dentists office and make sure that things looked fine at her most recent visit.
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Reply to ElizabethY
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If Mom can no longer brush her teeth, then the aide does it. I had an aide at LTC said Mom was not brushing her teeth. I asked if she put the toothpaste on the brush and handed it to her. I got those "deer stuck in the headlight" eyes. (so that meant no) I had my Mom 2 yrs and I figured that out.

When Mom can't do it anymore, then you have to do it for her. Aide needs to take her to the bathroom every 2 hours. And stay with her. She now has to wipe her. The aide has to turn on the faucet and wash Moms hands for her. The aide does not give instructions for bath time. I did not ask Mom if she wanted a shower (answer would have been no) I told Mom, time for a shower. Took her into a warm bathroom and removed her clothes. Put a shower chair in the shower and sat her away from the spray. I suds her down and rinsed her off with a handheld sprayer. She did wash her own face with a washcloth and water. She had never used soap. I put a towel on the toilet seat , sat her down a dried her quickly. Then put fresh clothes on her. This is what the aide is being paid for. Your Mom is passed understanding instructions.

A dot of toothpaste is enough. If Mom tends to swallow it, (floride should not be swallowed) just water is better than nothing. There are disposeable sponges on sticks for brushing. I would say night-time is the time for a good brushing. Have some water near by, hope she understands spitting .

I think Dental care is not a priority in facilities.
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Reply to JoAnn29
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