Difficulties brushing one’s teeth

Dementia not only affects memory but also organization, coordination and concentration, which are required to perform mouth care. Poor mouth care is associated with poor appetite, bad breath, infections of the teeth or gums and other health problems.

The goal of assisting with mouth care is to help the person make the most use of their remaining skills.

Let’s look at an example

Guoliang has Alzheimer’s disease but is able to brush his teeth without assistance. Recently, Guoliang’s wife, Lingling notices that her husband makes a big mess in the bathroom with water and toothpaste on the countertop and the floor. She also observes that her husband is unable to brush his teeth in the order that he usually does and can’t insert his artificial dentures himself.