My mom has dementia. She keeps losing her teeth. It's a very expensive loss since dad gets her a new set each time. Any ideas on what to do?

Dad cannot watch her 24/7. They don’t hide things at the same time everyday. It’s random. She might not be able to wear dentures anymore. Just like how eye glasses disappear. We didn’t find my dad’s expensive wAtch until I was moving him into a retirement facility. My mom had hidden it so it would be “safe”. Just another thought for you. I know she looks better and will need to go on puréed foods but dementia is hard and expensive. My father in law used to put his in uppers in the bottom and vice versus. Anyway just another thought....

Dementia.....someone with it, even early onset, cannot be responsible for anything. Even your father can’t be. It almost killed mine. He was her main caregiver. For at least 5 to 8 years before the damn burst. You have to play a game or ad I was told , go on this journey with them. Will your mom let someone in to “clean”the house? Meaning a caregiver that can watch over her, meds, hygiene, teeth? My mom used to say she didn’t need anyone to help her clean the house because she just had cleaned. Uhh, no mom, you haven’t. It’s been at least 2 yrs. So.... make up a story, get her out of the house, do what needs to be done to get her (and dad) some help. Your dad is wearing down probably living with this 247. Mine was. I did what I could every week but 24-7?? Whoa.... after my dad’s heart attack I saw how it was to live with her. I don’t know how he did it for as long as he did. When he came home from hospital I lived with them for 3 weeks and saw how bad it was. Finally had to put her in a facility. Hardest thing I’ve ever had to do but had to do it so my dad could recuperate and get stronger. I guess Long story short, my mom was always hiding things. If there is someone there responsible (not your dad) they can help with routines and know how to handle. Bring someone in. Not your dad and NOT You!! Good luck and God Bless

I really liked Esther’s suggestion of putting a microchip in the dentures, so that you could search for them with something that would squawk and locate them. It might need a helpful dentist and dental technician (dentists don’t normally make their own, they outsource to a technician), which is much the same with my own suggestions of a colour marker or magnetic strip, even CharK’s idea about drilling holes to make them into a pendant. Does anyone have experience with getting a dentist to co-operate?

In my view, caregivers are the responsible ones. Those caring for your mother need to be responsible for her teeth. Unfortunately one can't expect mother to remember about her teeth. She can't; she has dementia.

It can be so frustrating, but remember her mind is more like a three year old now. There’s no rhyme or reason why she does the things she does. If you could afford new dentures, they would quickly disappear again. My mother started throwing her clothes away because she didn’t know the difference between the laundry basket and the trash basket. I found her teeth in the trash can also! Her mind just isn’t working as it should. Losing your memory can be a blessing for someone who’s mind and body are preparing to leave this world. You don’t remember the crazy things you’ve done that you really don’t mean to do. You should pamper yourself every chance you get, you deserve it as you go through this difficult time. Lots of hugs to you!!

This is my second response. The first vanished into thin air. If you see a duplicate please pardon me.
I think the issue is they don’t want to bother with devices except “on demand.” My Mom can’t be bothered with wearing her new dentures to get them to fit properly but she struggles with them to go to an appointment pain or not! I can see her losing them easily and no telling where!
We are having problems with her hearing aid. We last saw it when we still had home health care. She answered the phone and we heard her say, “wait a Minute 
Let me take out my hearing Aid.”
Haven’t been able to find it yet. I change potty pads and chair throws on her recliner regularly so it could be lost in laundry. 
2 funny things happened with that hearing aide. 
When I took her to emergency I made sure she was wearing it. I even straightened it at one point but while we waited for her to be admitted, I didn’t see it. I reported it to security, filed a lost and found report and searched all the areas we sat in. When she got all settled in I left knowing it was a lost cause. When I phoned the next day, voila! She said she found it in her hair! My mom keeps her hair short but that’s what she said and she had it. 
Then after home health was ending we had a cat that was coughing. I thought he had a hair ball but when over-the-counter products didn’t help I took him to see the vet. Turns out he has asthma but I had that vet make sure there was no hearing aide on his X-rays lol!
I found out her insurance will cover another hearing aide with a $300 copay but she needs new hearing test. It takes time. Now my sister is wondering should we get it if she’s not going to wear and might lose it again. We don’t have a lot of money and spending on this might take away some future expense (like the damn cat X-rays will) but I think she appreciates it now and I also think she should be able to communicate and eat comfortably (and see well enough to read-that’s next!). I found some amplifiers that fit in your ear for as low as $50 I’m considering buying for her.  
Katsue, you can make anything into a pendent just by making two holes in it to draw a string through. You can place the holes on each side of a closure or if it seals tight enough you can put them close together one side. You can draw a string through the holes and tie the ends to slip over her head or you can afix clasps on the ends and use a shorter string. You can use a hot nail to pierce a hole in a plastic case or even gouge or puncture it with a knife tip. You can even use a ball chain like dog tags are on instead of ribbon. For that a round jump ring through the holes would work best to thread the chain on. 
Good luck,
Charlotte

I read the question to my adult kids & they suggested putting a chip in the dentures to locate them.

First, Katsue never said anything about the dining table or napkins. Meals does not seem to be the problem time for removing them.

Second, Mom has dementia. Asking her or “training” her to use anything is not going to happen and will only aggravate everyone else. Sorry, it’s just the reality of the situation. If you can get someone to do a specific task it will only be a short lived situation.

My husband has a similar situation, but with his
glasses. He’s now advanced enough and in a memory care facility, so I don’t even bother where his glasses may be. However, when he was still at home, I was constantly searching for his glasses. They are a grey horn rim that looked great on him but blended into EVERYTHING!

The real issue is why is she removing her dentures? Are they loose or ill fitting? Is there some kind of irritation or a gum issue? If she’s not using them to eat (because she’s misplaced them again) does she really need them? I know you want her looking her best, but, if she’s not really concerned about them, is it worth the aggravation? At some point they’ll become more of a problem than they are worth. It’s about what’s best for her.

A couple of ideas. First, get multiple copies made next time Dad replaces them. Multiples to the same ‘prescription’ ought to be a lot cheaper than a complete new moulded set each time. Second, ask for a bright coloured strip to be put into the top surface of the top set of teeth, to stop them being so easy to disguise when they are taken out. In that position, the colour won't be detectable in use. Third, it might be even possible to insert a steel strip that will be detectable with a magnet, to simplify going through the waste bin. Fourth, if the dentist says they can’t organise anything like that, find a new dentist that uses a different technician who will oblige. There are even dental technicians who make custom sets with ‘mock vampire’ teeth, so it is just a case of asking around! Dentists make a lot of money out of false teeth, so you will find a dentist with an incentive to oblige. As it seems to be a fairly common problem, an innovative technician might even find a new and lucrative market!

This is so like the child's lost retainer scenario....really not much different! There have been many a parent rooting through the dumpster looking for their child's retainer. If it's happening at home, a cheerful ceramic container that they can be placed in at the dinner table if she must removed them. If it occurs at a restaurant, a portable version with cover will do. I agree paper napkins and the ever present kleenex are dangerous options. Even with kids and their retainers, there is a tendency to cover them up (less gross) and that is the problem. Out of sight, out of mind:)

Dragonflower has a good idea. Let Dad be the keeper of the box. And maybe keep it in his possession with the dentures until she has to eat, then put them back right after. Where does she lose them, in the house. If sh they have to be somewhere, probably in the same place

My mom does the same , I would love to know what kind of chip are you speaking about that can be put in the teeth ,how does that work ?

If she’s in a SNF or ALF, they usually put a chip in them so they can be found. Patients are always taking their teeth out & losing them

My Mother did this also. She wanted to hide them so no one would steal them. After buying a new partial for her after she “lost” it, we found it wrapped in tissue paper in the back of the linen closet. Please look around before you buy new ones. It’s probably safely hidden somewhere.

My Mom has lost her lower dentures twice. A particularly worrisome episode was when she was in short-term rehab when she must have placed them on her cafeteria tray wrapped in a tissue and cafeteria staff must have thrown them away. Now she is memory care and we have no way to afford a replacement. With all he other issues - WHY?

My first question is why does she keep it keep taking out her dentures while eating and putting them in her napkin? The purpose of having dentures is to make it easier to eat.

It seems that Dad needs to be the keeper of the Denture container and be with her during meals so that if he sees her take the dentures out he's right there with their case.

Oh my gosh, my mom does the same thing. She bought a replacement pair and lost those too. We have been on our hands and knees so many times looking for them under her bed etc. she’s put them in napkins and tossed them too.

I’ve jokingly said she should wear them around her neck on a necklace and I’m now seriously thinking that’s an excellent idea. If there is a way to create a necklace out of the denture box, please let me know ASAP!!

At the end of the day when your mom is getting ready for bed can your dad stand by as she removes her dentures and then he puts them in their box to soak? He could take the box to another bathroom or to the kitchen, somewhere where your mom can't get to them until it's time to put them in the next day.

Thank you. My dad is 90 but quite sharp. He's dug through garbage many times. I'm going to buy something bright so maybe that will help her remember. Like I said silly question. Thanks for getting back to me :) I have another question but different topic.....

With dementia, your mom simply can't remember to follow any rules about her teeth. If your dad doesn't have dementia, it would be up to him to try to help mom keep track of her teeth. Does she go out of their house a lot and that's where she might lose them? Any idea what's happening with them? For example, my mom left hers on her napkin after eating and threw the napkin away. In that case, I'd make sure dad knew to check any napkins/paper towels before he put them in the garbage. If you had some idea of what was happening, you might be able to figure out how to prevent it, but only if others are watching out. Mom simply doesn't have that capacity anymore.