Elder Care: Poor Oral Hygiene A Growing Concern For Nursing Home Residents

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect,Personal Injury - March 28, 2024 by Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates

 

Nursing Home Neglect

Elderly Dental Hygiene

Nursing home administrators are expected to be aware of every area of medical care administered to their residents.  All medical staff should be educated on how to provide this care to meet federal standards.  Unfortunately, much of the care in nursing homes does not reach proper standards.  Many forms of abuse and neglect occur on a daily basis in nursing homes. Recent studies have indicated that a growing concern for nursing home residents is oral hygiene.
“I always say you can measure quality in a nursing home by looking in people’s mouths because it’s one of the last things to be taken care of,” said Dr. Judith A. Jones, chairwoman of the department of general dentistry at Boston University.[1]

Poor dental hygiene has become a growing epidemic in long-term care facilities.  Cavities, gum disease, cracked teeth are all the result of nursing home staff neglecting their responsibilities.  Oral injuries plague an enormous amount of the elderly because dental care is often left unmonitored.  Dental care should be a growing concern for family members who have loved ones in long-term care facilities.
Dr. Sarah J. Dirks, a dentist who treats nursing home residents in San Antonio, believes the lack of daily oral care in nursing facilities is “an epidemic that’s almost universally overlooked.1
Federal law requires that a resident who is unable to carry out activities of daily living receive the necessary services to maintain good nutrition, grooming and personal and oral hygiene. The intent of the regulation is that the resident receives the care and services needed because he/she is unable to perform activities of daily living independently.  See 42 CFR §483.25 and F312-Resident unable to carry out ADLs gets necessary services.
“Oral hygiene” is defined as maintaining the mouth in a clean and intact condition and treating oral pathology such as ulcers of the mucosa. Services to maintain oral hygiene may include brushing the teeth, cleaning dentures, cleaning the mouth and tongue either by assisting the resident with a mouth wash or by manual cleaning with a gauze sponge, and application of medication as prescribed. See 42 CFR §483.25(a)(3).
The U.S. Administration on Aging estimates the population of Americans older than 65 is expected to double to about 71 million by 2040.[2] This means more seniors will require complex dental treatment due to aging. The American Dental Association has introduced an initiative to increase awareness about the oral health of seniors.
The initiative addresses the following topics:

  • Dry Mouth
  • Cavities after 60
  • Oral Cancer
  • Dentures & Implants
  • Daily Mouth Care
  • The Effect of Diabetes, Arthritis and Medications on Oral Health[3]

Experienced Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys

If you fear that your loved one is not receiving proper dental care or is at risk for other forms of abuse in a nursing home, contact our office today and speak with one of our attorneys at 800-985-1819.

References:

1. “In Nursing Homes, an Epidemic of Poor Dental Hygiene,” New York Times, August 4, 2013
2. American Dental Association, Elderly Care
3. Oral Longevity