In September of 2011, I wrote about the epidemic of poor oral hygiene in nursing homes. Two years later little has changed according to a New York Times report.
Brushing someone else’s teeth takes care and time, two ingredients in short supply in most nursing homes. Unskilled or hurried efforts easily result in pain and discomfort. Pain and discomfort leads to uncooperative residents, especially those who suffer from dementia. Brushing the teeth of someone who doesn’t want to cooperate is nearly impossible.
Some of the results, cavities, tooth decay, gum disease are easy to see. Some of the other problems aren’t so easy. New studies from the American Dental Association have indicated that properly executed oral hygiene can reduce the likelihood of death from pneumonia and other infections.
As odd as it may sound to our ears, just a few decades ago losing one’s teeth was a common side effect of aging. It wasn’t unusual for people as young as 50 to have a full set of dentures. These dentures, obviously, are much easier to clean than a person’s teeth.
Legislation and regulation has never caught up with the reality that most Americans are probably going to have many of their own teeth for their entire life. As a result, there is little solid information about oral hygiene in nursing homes. One evaluation in Kentucky found that 30% of residents had “substantial oral debris on at least two-thirds of their teeth.”
If you have a loved one who you feel is being subjected to any kind of nursing home neglect in a Chicago area nursing home, contact our Chicago nursing home lawyers for a free and completely confidential evaluation of your case. At my law offices, we work on a contingency basis. That means that we don’t charge you unless we earn a recovery for your family.
At the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, we have the experience and expertise to manage every aspect of your nursing home neglect lawsuit, and we would welcome the opportunity to speak to you.
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