Hi there and welcome to our career training series. I’m Alex a team member here at myCNAjobs.
In today’s caregiver training video, I’m going to share a few best practices to help your patients and clients maintain healthy gums and teeth. We’re going to talk about dental hygiene!
Proper care of the mouth and teeth can help prevent things like eating difficulties, digestive problems and extensive dental procedures down the road. However, brushing can sometimes be challenging with seniors and can be a tough part of a caregiver or CNA job.
Sometimes, your clients just don’t want to do it, sometimes they don’t remember the importance of doing it, and sometimes it just hurts.
So, here’s what YOU can do to help.
#1 - Provide simple instructions
Instead of saying “hey - go brush your teeth”. Help walk your patient through the process. Say things like “hold your toothbrush”, now “let’s add the toothpaste”, and then “let’s start with your bottom teeth”. Often times breaking up the process will be easier and result in a job well done. The more your client can do themselves, the better. It’s tough to lose your independence so your job is to help your client keep it.
#2 - Show your clients
If you have a client that isn’t doing a great job, try showing them how you do it. If that doesn’t work, you can always assist your client. However, it’s best to encourage your client to do as much as they can on their own
#3 - Brush Frequently
Best practice is to brush teeth or dentures after each meal. Gums, tongue and roof of the mouth should be very gently brushed once per day.
#4 - Monitor changes
Part of any caregiver job is monitoring for health changes and documenting any changes you see. After each brush, check the seniors teeth and gums to check for bleeding or any unusual bumps. If you see something change, it’s important to document it. If you’re working for a home care agency, often times, the agency will have forms for you to complete at the start and end of each shift.
#5 - Visit the dentist
Ensure your client gets to the dentist at least every 6 months and more frequently if advised by their dentist. It’s important not to miss an appointment as dentists play a critical role in overall good senior health.
Well, that’s it folks. Best of luck and I hope this video was helpful. If you like what you saw here and you’d like to access more caregiver training or you’re looking for a caregiver or CNA job, you can find free resources at myCNAjobs.com or call us to talk to a recruiter directly at 312-275-3959.
