Oral Health Care in Nursing

Oral Health is one of the many health attributes that is overlooked by many, but oral health is a big contribution to systemic diseases. These systemic diseases are commonly found in older adults that need assistance with completing their oral health expectations. Oral Health is the state of being free from chronic mouth and facial pain, oral and throat cancer, oral sores, birth defects such as cleft lip or palate and gum disease, tooth decay and loss. In my opinion I would also say that risk factors for oral disease include poor oral hygiene. Nurses can use three main pillars to help their patients that rely on them for good oral health, 1) Oral health assessments, 2) dental treatment, and, 3) daily oral hygiene (macetee et al2011). This paper will depict how those older adults depend on nurse’s concepts to helping them live a better healthier life through their oral health.

Older patients in hospitals and long term care are most susceptible to bad oral health because of declining functional and cognitive abilities (macentee 2011). You and I can walk around and drink fluids that help eliminate the bad bacteria that build up in our mouths, but elderly long term care patients may sit in bed all day eating foods with sugars and acids that sit on their teeth for long periods of time between brushing. Most of the patients don’t have access to dentists or hygienist to get a cleaning job done so dental plaque forms. Plaque is mostly commensal bacteria that adheres to the surface of the teeth and dentures forming a sticky coating or biofilm, which in the long run turns into calculus. Over long periods of time the non removal of the biofilm causes early stages of gingivitis and bad breath. Not brushing isn't the only contribution to these problems, a lack of saliva or dry mouth adds on to the problem as well, because saliva plays a role in suppressing the growth of bacteria in the mouth. Most medications have this very side effect that causes ongoing oral