Three Great Outcomes When Caregivers Get Training in Preventive Oral Healthcare
1.
The daily dental hygiene routine becomes easier, more effective, and less stressful for both the caregiver and the individual with special needs.
2.
Oral health issues that may arise are identified and addressed earlier because the caregiver notices tooth decay, gum disease, bad breath or pain.
3.
Less treatment may be needed at the individual’s yearly visit to the dentist, potentially making the visit shorter. Caution: Don’t skip the dentist visit!
Online Course in Best Practices for Daily Oral Healthcare
To register for our online course, fill out the form below. After filling out the form, you will be redirected to the course enrollment page, where you click “Enroll for Free” to begin the course immediately. It takes about an hour to complete.
10 Instructional Videos Cover All Aspects of Dental Hygeine
Below are 10 short instructional videos, each of which explains an important aspect of providing dental hygiene for an individual with special needs. The videos are arranged in a series and optimally viewed in that order.
Why Oral Health Care Is Important
Video 1: How Nutrition Affects Oral Health
Foods and drinks that are high in sugar or starch do far more harm to oral health than tooth-friendly foods, especially when consumed between meals.
approx. 6 minutes
Video 2: You Have the Power: Improving Oral Health and Overall Health
Inflammation and bacteria in the mouth can lead to diseases in other organ systems in the body. However, proper oral healthcare can prevent or reverse this process.
approx. 5 minutes
Video 3: How Fluoride Helps Prevent Tooth Decay
Learn the benefits of using a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste in regular brushing and having a dentist apply a fluoride varnish during annual visits.
approx. 2 minutes
How To Provide Oral Health Care
Video 4: Tips on Toothbrushing – You Can Do it!
Learn about types of toothbrushes, watch a demonstration of proper toothbrushing techniques, and find out why bleeding from gums is okay at the start.
approx. 5 minutes, 30 seconds
Video 5: Don’t Forget to Floss … and Here’s How!
The technique caregivers should use to properly floss the teeth of people who have special needs will ensure 100 percent of the tooth surface gets cleaned.
approx. 1 minute, 30 seconds
Video 6: Care of Dentures
People who wear dentures because they have no teeth or only a few need to clean their dentures daily and have regular visits with a dentist to maintain good oral health.
approx. 1 minute
How To Make Oral Health Care Stress-Free
Video 7: Setting Expectations
With her son Marc, who has Down Syndrome, Deborah introduces three techniques to provide stress-free oral healthcare to people with special needs.
approx. 5 minutes
Video 8: Strategies to Keep the Atmosphere Calm: Power of 1 Second, Positioning
How caregivers can build trust by positioning themselves at eye-level with the patient and building up toothbrushing duration one second at a time.
approx. 5 minutes, 45 seconds
Video 9: Responsible Choices, Keep Trying
Caregivers can make oral healthcare less stressful for people who have cognitive differences by being responsible about the choices they offer the patient.
approx. 5 minutes, 30 seconds
Video 10: Making Progress, Take the Pressure off
Caregivers and patients benefit from communicating through each step and stepping back if something unexpected happens.
approx. 6 minutes
Preventive Dental Care Is Necessary but Not Enough
Why Everyone Needs Regular Dentist Visits
