After 5 years caring (with an in house caregiver) for my 82 yo mom, and doing the best we can keeping dental hygiene, a cap fell out and a dentist visit seems essential. Has anyone had any experience with this? She is headstrong, and would surely resist probing. Although she might understand the needs, since the stroke she barely talks, and if she does, mostly unintelligently, so following instructions will be tenuous at best.
Ive been told that nitrous oxide light sedation might cause hallucinations, and a full sedation is dangerous for stroke and dementia patients, as they may wake up worse than before...
Any thought anyone?
I called the dentist and he said that her roots are probably calcified by now and unless she complained of pain or had any swelling, to leave it alone. I did that and it's been fine for almost a year.
She would probably be resistant to any work and she would probably have to have general anesthesia or at least heavy sedation.
This is difficult to recover from anesthesia even the heavy sedation is difficult. And she will be more of a fall risk for several hours if not days after.
We are told often that anything "left unaddressed" could cause infection, sepsis and death. And this is TRUE. But quite honestly, as this point in her life, she IS going to "go" of something at some point. It becomes a matter of what hill you wish to die upon.
I say this as someone who was worried for her brother as regards his car accident and subsequent dx of probably early Lewy's dementia. He said he wished he had gone in the accident, and to be honest, that is a rational wish in my book.
Yet and all he had a teeny open sore on his shin, and THAT is what took him. He went septic, and was gone within two weeks when antibiotics didn't touch it . He requested the fight stop, and he go home to his lovely ALF with hospice, and be allowed to go. It is what he wanted.
Whether it is a fall that is the beginning of the end, or an illness, or a tooth? At some point, compared to the difficulties of addressing something like dental hygiene with someone, I just kind of throw up my arms.
I personally love nitrous. But even it takes cooperation. They will tell you to take a deep breath to send you a bit deeper. You have to kind of "be there" for it.
Why not call her dentist and discuss. Because I sure don't have the answer you need, and only wish I did.
It's hard to tell if she's in pain or not..her pain tolerance is high and she cant really express herself, but I can tell something is wrong...just not sure if it's teeth, something else, or just a general poor condition due to an otherwise lovely winter weather.
I'll make some calls and try to capture one of those "roving" dentists :)
Thanks again.
If your Mom is on Medicaid, this is another challenge: finding a dentist who will accept Medicaid recipiets.
Another question is whether your Mom can physically sit back in the chair far enough for the dentist to actually look into her mouth. My 94-yr old Mom has pretty bad osteoarthritis in her back and can't straighten up any more... she is barely able to be lowered far back enough.
And then, can your Mom tolerate any pain from being in 1 position for any length of time? My MIL with chronic pain from a broken back could only do 30-ish minutes then had to sit up and recover.
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