If your loved one is in a facility make sure their teeth are being brushed. I made a bad assumption that this was happening. After 2 years my mother told me "her tooth was hurting". I took her to a dentist and I can't remember what the outcome was, since this was 20 years ago, but I remember the dentist coming out and just saying, "I'm so sorry."
Apparently her teeth were a mess. I said, "The nursing home was supposed to be helping her with brushing her teeth."
The dentist said, "Well, they're not."
If I could do it over I would have looked in her mouth occasionally when I visited her 1-2x a week and discussed with the staff if she was brushing or allowing them to help. She had dementia, so I can see how she might have been uncooperative.
A visit to a dentist every 3-6 months would also help.
A toothache can make life miserable, and I think back and wonder how long my mother might have had her toothache.
If a LO is on Medicaid, a dentist should be brought in every six months to check on patients. You can always take a LO to their own dentist.