Improving oral healthcare in care homes

Research question: What strategies are effective for promoting oral health among residents who resist mouth care?

Context: Oral care is important for healthy mouth, teeth, and gums. Nursing home residents often can’t or won’t carry out proper oral care and may require assistance from staff. Bursing home staff may not be prepared to provide adequate oral care, particularly when a resident resists care.

Summary of Findings:

Small changes to the environment (for example, sitting in front of a mirror, placing toothbrush and toothpaste in reach) are important: they promote and enable mouth care.

Step-by-step cues and commands help residents engage with self-care and be more independent:

• Encouraging comments and demonstrating an action improves mouth care for residents with moderate dementia.
• Guiding a resident through each step (for example letting them know when to use water or to use a towel) improves mouth care for residents with severe dementia.

Giving full assistance to residents reduces opportunities for successfully providing mouth care for residents with severe dementia.

Any future studies need to focus on practical strategies for supporting care staff with this important aspect of care.

For a summary of the research and practical strategies for staff download our Niche KnowHow for oral care :

Our care home partner: Westward Care: one of Leeds’ most respected health and social care providers with a proven track record in providing award-winning care and support to older people.

The company operates three acclaimed homes: Southlands Retirement Apartments (Roundhay), Headingley Hall (Headingley) and Pennington Court (Beeston). We work specifically with Pennington Court which provides nursing and residential care for up to 62 people.

Contact: k.spilsbury@leeds.ac.uk