Caregivers should learn more about tooth health for elders
From infants to seniors, here's why an Ice Case of Emergency (ICE) list comes in handy for caregivers
When I stepped out of my car and saw my grandfather being wheeled inside, I immediately shouted my nickname for him: “Sugarbowl Sam!”
He looked in my direction and rolled his eyes. I heard him tell my aunt and father, “Da Punkin’s here” as if they didn’t hear my loud greeting.
(Side note: A couple of doctors thought my grandfather was showing signs of dementia when they would point to me and ask, “Who is she?” His response was always, “Da Punkin.” I’d laugh. They assumed he didn’t know my name. They’d ask for my name again. He’d repeat “Da Punkin.” Finally, I’d interrupt and ask him to say my real name so they didn’t think he was losing it. He’d say my full first, middle and last name in an exaggerated tone and give the doctors the “Are you happy now?” face.)
I was prepared to become a caregiver and work from home. I already had two large computer monitors, a personalized laptop mouse with all three of my dogs and a couple binders set up in his living room. (I cannot begin to describe his initial reaction the first time he saw this high-tech office at a desk that was used to displaying an AOL dial-up computer and a dusty remote control.)
When I got closer to my grandfather, I noticed his mouth looked funny. He had no teeth. I cracked a joke about it, and he said something smart in response. We laughed. I helped guide him inside. But after an hour or two, I recall asking when somebody was going to help him put his dentures in. That’s when we realized we didn’t know where they were. When he went to the hospital after complications with diabetes, none of us thought about denture cleaning.
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Even while visiting, it still slipped my mind. Body wash, socks, lotions and random things I use on a day-to-day basis were easy enough to remember. But I’d never even seen him remove nor clean his dentures for the four decades I’d been alive of his 95 years alive! Every blue moon, he’d take them out and wrap them in a napkin, and then they would appear in his mouth again. (My suspicion is an unknowing hospital employee threw them away, thinking it was an empty napkin.)
Up until that day, bringing up denture care was about as pointless to me as it would be to discuss brushing baby teeth or why you shouldn’t kiss babies on the mouth because it can give them cavities. I don’t have an iota of motherly instincts and avoid babies as much as possible. Ironically, I’ve changed a few family members’ diapers but never brushed one baby tooth or kissed any baby on the mouth. (I learned that lesson the hard way when I kissed my toddler nephew on the cheek, and my lip turned into a lighter color and formed a slight bump. I still have no clue what that germy kid contaminated me with, but he’s in his late 20s now.)
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However, with minority caregivers often on the younger side — Black Americans (47 years old), Asian-Americans (49 years old) and Hispanics (43 years old) compared to White Americans (51 years old), I wondered how often do people under 50 know much about senior dental health at all — because I had absolutely no idea what to do to replace these missing dentures.