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Oral Hygiene for People with Dementia Essay

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Assignment 1

Evidence based practice

"Oral Hygiene for adults with Dementia"

-Introduction-

The purpose of this essay is to discuss a clinical skill or nursing action by referring to the nursing and allied health literature to explain and support evidence based practice. The skill I wish to examine is the practice of oral hygiene for adults with dementia in residential aged care facilities. In this essay I aim to provide the reader with adequate references to support the best practice for oral hygiene for people with dementia.

-Evidence based practice -

Good oral health is important for a person's sense of well being and quality of life (Fiske, 2001). Inadequate oral hygiene can lead to pain, tooth loss, oral disease, …show more content…

Another assessment tool is the Oral Health Assessment tool and is a condensed alteration of the BOHSE. It can be completed before implementing an individualized oral hygiene care plan. Completing this assessment will help the health care professional assess the patients current oral status and factors, which can contribute to their risk for oral disease. This makes it possible to put into practice the most appropriate care, plan for the residents needs. There is only a small amount of literature providing quality evidence based on the use of a successful oral health assessment tool for people with dementia (JBI, 2004). There is no published evidence to this date that has directly linked the use of the assessment tool and the standard of oral hygiene and care given within residential aged care facilities (JBI, 2004). For successful assessment of the residents with dementia the assessment should be undertaken by trained staff and on admission the assessment should also involve a dentist (JBI, 2004). Assessment should be done on a regular basis, at least every 8 weeks (JBI, 2004).
Research has shown that staff training in oral hygiene and the use of an individualised Oral Hygiene Care Plan is beneficial to the resident and also the nurse and will allow appropriate care (National Guideline Clearing house [NGC], 2003).
The Oral hygiene care

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