Daily mouth care, dentures and dry mouth

NICE quality standards state adults living in care homes should be supported to clean their teeth twice a day and to carry out daily denture care. Daily support should follow the resident's care plan and preferences, including their choice of toothbrush, denture products and any prescribed mouth care items.

Daily mouth care can include helping the resident brush with fluoride toothpaste, cleaning and removing dentures overnight, clearing food debris, using a preferred toothbrush and checking for dryness or soreness. Some residents will only need prompts; others will require full assistance.

Daily care basics

• Teeth: support brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
• Dentures: clean them daily and remove them overnight if that is the usual plan.
• Dry mouth: notice complaints of dryness, sticky mouth, cracked lips or trouble swallowing dry food.
• Routine: use the products, timing and support style the resident prefers where possible.
• Change: update the plan if the resident now needs more help than before.

Good mouth care is usually made of small daily actions done consistently and in the way the resident can best tolerate.