Oral health plays an important role on the quality of life. Poor oral health can bring pain, which prevents people from eating and drinking properly and can lead to malnutrition.
It can also affect people’s abilities to take medication and there’s also evidence that links poor oral health with aspiration pneumonia, particularly in residential settings.
Induction and training
Induction is a good time to introduce new workers to policy and procedures relating to oral health.
΢΢²ÝÊÓƵ report: Smiling Matters
Smiling Matters is a report, published by the Care Quality Commission (΢΢²ÝÊÓƵ) in June 2019, reviewing the state of oral health care in care homes across England. From the review, there was a call to include mandatory staff training care in oral care and a create greater awareness of the importance of good oral care and what this means, from employers, carers, people accessing care and support and their families.
NICE guidance: Oral health for adults in care homes
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) developed which covers oral health, including dental health and daily mouth care, for adults in care homes. The aim is to maintain and improve their oral health and ensure timely access to dental treatment.
They've also developed a for care home managers.