The following resources are intended to help caregivers and the dental team adapt their daily skills when providing routine oral health care for persons with Alzheimer’s or dementia is not always possible.
These sources of information have been produced by third parties and are intended to serve as general information only. It should not be used to replace the advice of a qualified health professional. CDA is not responsible for complete accuracy, maintaining editorial control or continued availability of information provided by third party websites.
Oral Health Care Resources for Caregivers
Organization: Canadian Dental Association
Product type/format: CDA Dental Patient with Special Health Care Needs Transition Process
Information about: This tool helps to guide patients, families, caregivers and oral health care providers seamlessly through the process of transition when an adolescent with special health care needs (SHCN) moves from pediatric to adult oral health care, or when an adult with special health care needs moves from one dental practice to another. The tool consists of 3 steps and can be used for and adapted to any SHCN patient group for assisting in transitioning individuals from one oral health care environment to another.
Organization: Canadian Dental Association
Product type/format: Brochure and Pre-visit questionnaire
Information about: Tips for parents and caregivers to make oral health care at home as easy as possible for persons with special health care needs.
Organization: Alzheimer’s Society, UK
Product type/format: Webpage, Section 7
Information about: Finding a dentist
Organization: McMaster University
Product type/format: YouTube video, starts at 6:30s
Information about: Oral Care Best Practices for Residents with Responsive Behaviour: Approaches and strategies
Organization: Alzheimer’s Society, UK
Product type/format: Webpage, Section 2
Information about: Learn how medications can affect the oral health of people with dementia.
Organization: Alzheimer’s Society, UK
Product type/format: Webpage, Section 3
Information about: Dentures; When are dentures required; Wearing dentures; Losing dentures; Dentures marking
Organization: Alzheimer’s Association, USA
Product type/format: Webpage
Information about: Daily oral health care tips and working with the dentist.
Organization: Healthy Populations Institute, Dalhousie University
Product type/format: YouTube video
Information about: Five-part video education series on personal daily mouth care for older adults: Many older adults experience a decline in physical and mental health as they age. This often leaves them dependent on others to assist them with their personal care needs.
Part 1: This Oral Health Basics video focuses on importance of oral health, dental disease, prevention and assessment, personal oral care cards, tool kit, and your role.
Part 2: This Brushing Techniques & Oral Health Products video focuses on toothbrushes, toothpaste, brushing technique, floss/floss alternatives and floss technique, mouth rinses, denture care products and cleaning technique, other oral health conditions and products.
Part 3: The Considerations for Dementia video focuses on what dementia is (prevalence, type and symptoms), most common losses of dementia (7 A’s), responsive behaviours, and tips and techniques for providing oral care.
Part 4: The Considerations for Palliative Care video focuses on the importance of palliative care, oral care for the palliative patient (general goal, symptoms and treatment for common oral conditions, tips and products for delivering daily oral care)
Part 5: The Oral Health Assessment video provides an oral health assessment tool (o.h.a.t) and information on oral hygiene care planning.
Organization: Healthy Populations Institute, Dalhousie University
Product type/format: Facilitator Guide, Downloadable PDF (pg. 18)
Information about: Daily oral health care tips. The Facilitator Guide provides information, resources, and detailed steps for introducing the ‘Brushing Up on Mouth Care’ program into your continuing care workplace.
Organization: Alzheimer’s Society Canada
Product type/format: Webpage
Information about: Tips for daily oral health care, including denture care, mouth checks, seeing the dentist, medications and oral disease, and signs of oral care problems.
Organization: RGC Central, Regional Geriatric Program, Affiliated with McMaster University
Product type/format: Downloadable PDF
Information about: Approaches for Oral Care. Interventions for Residents in Long-Term Care with Responsive Behaviours, Communication or Functional Impairments.
Organization: Unforgettable
Product type/format: An online marketplace of UK-based products and services for dementia and memory loss. Charity partners include Dementia UK, Young Dementia UK, Alzheimer’s Disease International, Alzheimer’s Society, to name a few.
Information about: A step-by-step guide to dental care and dementia, including why it’s important, what might help, a step-by-step guide if things aren’t working, and visiting the dentist.
Organization: Centre de santé et de services sociaux de Québec-Nord (Fr)
Product type/format: Brochure, Downloadable PDF
Information about: Daily oral health care tips in French
Organization: Centre de santé et de services sociaux de Québec-Nord (Fr)
Product type/format: Brochure, Downloadable PDF
Information about: Daily oral health care tips. Brushing teeth for seniors with a loss of autonomy.
Organization: Ontario Dental Hygienists’ Association
Product type/format: Fact Sheet, Downloadable PDF
Information about: A guide to provide oral care for caregivers. Includes information on oral health and overall health, the role of the dental hygienist, maintaining good oral health, signs of inadequate oral care, routine care and treatment.
Organization: Healthy Populations Institute, Dalhousie University
Product type/format: Information Sheet, Downloadable PDF (pg. 7)
Information about: Brushing up on Mouth Care: An oral health resource for those who provide care to older adults. Includes information on common oral conditions, hydration, dementia and oral care, cavities and diet, denture care, dry mouth, gingivitis, labeling dentures, oral cancer, oral care during cancer treatment, oral swabs, palliative oral care, gum disease, taste and swallowing disorders, and dysphagia and oral care.
Organization: Alberta Health Services
Product type/format: Telephone service
Information about: Free specialized dementia advice and education. 1-866-408-5465 (Canada-wide toll free)
Organization: University of Manitoba, Health Promotion Unit
Product type/format: Downloadable PDFs and Videos
Information about: A range of mouth care factsheets and video clips for caregivers of dependent individuals, including long-term care residents. Topics include but are not limited to gloving; basic mouth care for denture wearers and those with natural teeth; special considerations for mouthcare based on an individual’s personal situations and abilities; essential mouthcare products and supplies; how-to instructions for brushing someone else’s teeth; optimal positioning for improved mouthcare; how to optimize time during mouthcare; and toothbrushing techniques at the bedside.
Oral Health Care Resources for Dentists and the Dental Team
Organization: The Canadian Society for Disability and Oral Health Dalhousie Student Chapter
Product type/format: My Trip to the Dentist YouTube Video
Information about: Check out this video promoting inclusive oral health care, designed to prepare children for their visit to the dentist.
Organization: Canadian Dental Association
Product type/format: CDA Dental Patient with Special Health Care Needs Transition Process
Information about: This tool helps to guide patients, families, caregivers and oral health care providers seamlessly through the process of transition when an adolescent with special health care needs (SHCN) moves from pediatric to adult oral health care, or when an adult with special health care needs moves from one dental practice to another. The tool consists of 3 steps and can be used for and adapted to any SHCN patient group for assisting in transitioning individuals from one oral health care environment to another.
Organizations: Canadian Dental Association and the Canadian Society for Disability and Oral Health
Product type/format: Complete Tool and Stand-alone form (downloadable PDFs)
Information about: The tool, Dental Treatment Case Complexity Assessment Form and Recommendations for Persons with Special Health Care Needs, aims to encourage private and public dental clinics to make dental services more accessible for persons with special health care needs. It may also help dentists assess the complexity of individual cases and determine whether to treat or refer these patients to clinics where specialized care can be provided. This assessment tool is not intended to evaluate specific oral health conditions or emergency oral health treatment options.
Organization: Canadian Dental Association
Product type/format: Brochure and Pre-visit questionnaire
Information about: General guidance and pre-visit questionnaire to assist dentists and the dental team in providing oral health care for patients with special health care needs.
Organization: The Canadian Dental Hygienists Association
Product type/format: Online course
Information about: The Lifelong Smiles for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) online course is designed to help you, through 4 modules, more effectively connect with and support clients with ID in maintaining good oral health over their lifetime.
Organization: Alzheimer’s Society (UK)
Product type/format: Webpage
Information about: Dental problems that people with dementia face and methods for treatment and prevention.
Organization: Mount Sinai Hospital
Product type/format: Brochure, Downloadable PDF
Information about: Guidelines on Oral Hygiene: Steps for Oral Hygiene and Reminders for Dentists and Support Workers/Families
Organization: Centre de santé et de services sociaux de Québec-Nord (Fr)
Product type/format: Brochure, Downloadable PDF (Fr)
Information about: Mouth care for persons with loss of autonomy
Organization: Oral Health, Total Health
Product type/format: Checklist, Downloadable PDF
Information about: Ten observations which may indicate that an individual is in pain, and that the cause may be orally related.
Organization: International Affairs and Best Practice Guidelines Centre, Registered Nurses Association of Ontario
Product type/format: YouTube video (dementia content starts at 6:30s)
Information about: Oral Care Best Practices for Residents with Responsive Behaviour: Approaches and strategies
