My 98 yr old Mom with vascular dementia won’t let dental staff do X-rays. She does let them clean her mouth and I am arranging regular home visits for cleanings. I have read about them and wondered if anyone can comment on them. Thanks!
The most important part of dental care for the elderly is cleaning and removal of plaque. Silver diamine fluoride treatments is only for treatment of cavities. Fluoride treatments won't replace periodic dental cleaning. Besides, without X rays, many small cavities won't be detected. I wonder if dental health should be a priority in a 98 years old woman with dementia. She probably doesn't chew her food anymore.
Why would you even consider getting a 98 year old woman with dementia's tooth filled in the first place???
Dementia has robbed my mother of enough already, the last thing in the world I'd want to do is bring in dentists to drill on her teeth! If she has pain in her mouth from a bad tooth, the dentist is called into her room to sedate her and pull it out, in her easy chair, while reclined and relaxed. The whole event is over with in short order with the least amount of trauma and agitation to her, which is my only goal with a 95 year old woman with advanced dementia. Her teeth are the least of her problems, the poor thing.
Be glad your mother allows her teeth to be cleaned, I guess, and leave the rest alone, that is my suggestion.
I was told it only stains the decayed portion of the tooth but this can be remedied by getting the cavity filled and using the white filling material that matches the tooth. It also reduces sensitivity and has some preventative aspects to it as well, like regular fluoride treatment. The negatives are a couple days of dealing with a metallic taste, possible allergy to the silver and it is contra indicated for people with ulcerative oral lichen planus, an autoimmune condition. It seems like a helpful treatment for dementia patients like my Mom. Better a discolored tooth than one causing pain.
Its been years since I had a fluoride treatment after having gum surgery. Back then, the flouride was like toothpaste that was squirted into a mouth mold and inserted over my teeth. I was told not to swallow and it was several minutes before it was removed. The whole time I had to try not to gag. Which for someone who has a bad gag reflex was very hard. I am now 30 yrs old and the gag reflex has worsened. Even having the reg xrays of 4 is awful for me. I will not do a full mouth.
I would find out what getting this treatment means. If Mom won't do xrays, she probably won't do this treatment if it means placing something in her mouth.
This isn't at all like the fluoride treatments you are thinking of JoAnn, this is a method of treating a small cavity that prevents further decay - as far as I can tell it's main use is in avoiding costly and traumatic fillings in children's teeth that they would soon lose anyway. One major downside is that it stains the tooth, so you wouldn't want to use it on any visible teeth.
I had to look that up, very interesting! As far as I can see this sounds as though it might be a very good alternative to fillings in the very elderly, but there is no prophylactic benefit.
Dementia has robbed my mother of enough already, the last thing in the world I'd want to do is bring in dentists to drill on her teeth! If she has pain in her mouth from a bad tooth, the dentist is called into her room to sedate her and pull it out, in her easy chair, while reclined and relaxed. The whole event is over with in short order with the least amount of trauma and agitation to her, which is my only goal with a 95 year old woman with advanced dementia. Her teeth are the least of her problems, the poor thing.
Be glad your mother allows her teeth to be cleaned, I guess, and leave the rest alone, that is my suggestion.
I would find out what getting this treatment means. If Mom won't do xrays, she probably won't do this treatment if it means placing something in her mouth.
As far as I can see this sounds as though it might be a very good alternative to fillings in the very elderly, but there is no prophylactic benefit.