My mom is 93 with dementia, She has had the same dentures for years with no issues. I keep them brushed and cleaned frequently. Recently she has started to complain of discomfort with the gums on the bottom dentures. I am cleaning the dentures and brushing them frequently. I also have applied OraGel and warm salt water to the gum area. Should I take her to a dentist to perhaps get the dentures adjusted? At this stage, I do not believe she could adapt to new dentures. That may be too disruptive for her. Has anyone faced this type of issue? Any advice? I know how important good oral hygiene is. Thanks
The other alternative is to leave her without a lower denture and see how she does. Whether she can eat without it. If so, you're all set. If not, take her into the dentist and see about a new lower; it's not as big a deal as you think. The big deal is adjusting to a new denture when the teeth are first pulled out. Not when a new one needs to be made.
GOOD LUCK!
Any pros and cons you have regarding implants would be helpful.
Examine the gums with a bright light (ask her to close her eyes, or hold a flannel over them). See if there's anything to see. If you're not happy with the colour or you do notice anything odd, report it - doctor or dentist, either will do.
Examine the lower denture really carefully, see if you can feel any roughness or spot any issues there.
If it's general discomfort, you'd better get someone qualified to check her out in case there's an infection of some sort - gingivitis, thrush, anything like that. You can be rigorous about oral hygiene and still be unlucky, especially if she's taking certain medications.
In any case, though, I wouldn't ignore it. Better to waste a professional's time on something-of-nothing than to miss something important.
I believe the medication was one of the puffers for COPD.
Would she be compliant at the dentist office?
Could she sit for an extended time in the dental chair?
If you have to give her meds to get her to comply do know that she will be more prone to falls until the drug(s) wear off.
IF she has to have any work done with anesthesia this is risky. Dementia and anesthesia do not "play well together" and she may well have a decline in cognition for quite some time if she even recovers her baseline.
How is her eating now? Is she eating pureed food or a regular diet? If she is eating pureed or finely minced food there may be no reason to even continue to wear the dentures.
You can continue the oral hygiene without the dentures.
You can check her mouth and try to determine if there are any red or inflamed areas