Lloyd's breath has been so foul lately! I take his plate and partial out every night now. He slept with them in for years. Brushing is a challenge. I can only get the darn brush in one time. If I take it out, that is it. There is no getting it back in. Before he got so bad, he used to just suck the toothpaste off the brush. I worry because he has only 3 teeth left and they all are crucial to holding his partial in place. I just started using a gauze pad with Listerine to wipe around his gums and the roof of his mouth and his tongue. I tried one of those sponges on a stick, but using my finger works better because I know what I am reaching. It sure seems to help. If anyone has any other ideas, I sure would like to hear them. Thanks!
a battery powered toothbrush is how i brush teeth these days. it seems to get more coverage in less time. it can be a challenge to get them to not bite down on anything you put into the mouth! i have been using for some years a small spray bottle with half hydrogen peroxide/water to spray after i brush. my DH gums are red and sensitive due to medications in applesauce. its helped quite a bit to keep them in shape. cut up apples as a snack help to clean and freshen breath. the foul smell may also be coming from GI tract or sinuses. ps i tried finger wipes but got bit more than i like. :)
Linda Mc, you might what to have the dds or dr(not sure where your husband is ) check to see if there are any white patches in his mouth. he could have a case of thrush. if not that then the sinuses would be my next guess with the time of year. i also purchased this week from the dds a special flouride toothpaste that is more concentrated with flouride to use at night to proctect the teeth from decay . working in the dental field for the 1st years of my career, i understand how crucial those few teeth are. i am using an electric toothbrush also , it does make it faster. sorry, i cannot remember the name of the toothpaste off the top of my head but i will try to get it out tomorrow and post it for you. it does not foam up much at all and if you use just a very small amount like it is instructed they said he would not even have to spit it out.
Just a little off topic,...but..today I could NOT believe it!!
DH lost a front tooth about 4 months ago, a tooth we know would eventually go. (from an accident in his youth) He has always had pearly whites and taken good care of them, so it was sad to see it go. Wait, it gets crazier.
So I have been considering whether to get it fixed or not, because a bridge is over the top is cost, and I really think a partial plate will be so hard for him to deal with.
WELL NOW!! I will be making an appt ASAP, today I looked in his mouth and THE OTHER FRONT TOOTH is loose and almost out.!!! HE HAD NOT TOLD ME ANYTHING and I had no idea. Oh my poor dear man, oh my handsome guy who was mr floss and brush always. I am so sad, yet again.
But first, his Doctor visit on Tuesday, to determine eligibility for respite.
Coco - he could be playing with the tooth causing it to loosen. As for getting any partial or such, I would not. My FIL's front teeth rotted out and finally after his diagnosis he agreed to dentures. That did not last more than a couple years - then it was back to no teeth.
I woke up thinking about what to do about his teeth.
I will consult with the dentist, yet, I am thinking, the best way to go is with that expensive bridge, I really cannot see him adjusting to a partial plate he is so fidgety.
Maybe they will let me make payments, I just cannot let him live without his two front teeth, to save money and sacrifice dignity.
Oh my dear sweet Coco, I have been sitting here thinking of what to write to you. I can so relate to what you are going through. My DH was so dental phobic all his life that by the time he was in his early 50's (before AD) he had lost many teeth & his 2 front teeth were beginning to crumble away. He was pretty vain & I know that the way his teeth looked was embarrassing to him. I finally convinced him that he really needed to have at least his upper teeth extracted & get a full denture. I wasn't sure that he would actually wear the denture, but he did........until about 6 months ago. He did fine with the denture at first. He wore it all the time & wouldn't even take it out to soak it at night when he went to bed. But then as AD progressed he would take it out in his sleep & lose it. I can't tell you how many times he would wake me up saying the he can't find his teeth. So we (I) would look high & low for them. Then he would start taking them out after he would eat (no matter where we were). Then he started taking them out before he would eat. Then he finally wouldn't wear them at all. So now he doesn't wear them & it doesn't matter to him how he looks & to be truthful it doesn't mater to me either. So what does this have to do with your situation? Well, IMHO if you do choose to do something I believe that your choice of the expensive permanent bridge is the way to go (I am a dental assistant, or I should say I WAS). I think a removable partial would just be something else to lose. Just be advised that there is a bit of maintenance with a permanent bridge & you will probably be responsible for that when he can no longer manage it (of course we do a lot of maintenance for them!). I'm sending you best wishes & love. Elaine
Divvi, apples are a good idea. Reaching in his mouth has not been an issue. He has not bitten me. I really like to be sure I am getting all around the gums and the roof of his mouth and his tongue with the Listerine. donnaL, there are no white patches. It may very well be sinuses, but his nose is not running. Coco, Lloyd has a full upper and a partial on the bottom. I have to reach in to take both out. I have to reach to the back of the upper and pop it out. The partial I can just grab from the front. Lloyd was always very vain about everything including his teeth. If they become uncomfortable, he will take them out. They always turn up...in a shoe, in his pockets, in the bed, on the kitchen floor, on the steps. Two of the older grandsons have found them and wrapped them in a paper towel. Gabriel (19) just left it on the counter and Alex (16) actually brought them to me. Such good boys. Charlotte, Lloyd went through a phase where he was forever popping his partial out. We ended up having 2 more loose teeth removed and added to his partial. I'd like to think his dental work will last as long as he does, but I could deal with having to feed him soft foods and ground up foods if I had to.