Everyone needs dental care to maintain a healthy mouth and teeth. Dental care is even more, demanding with people who need caregiving. Unlike others, they need help to maintain hygienic dental practices, such as daily cleaning, flossing, and regular dental check-ups. As a caregiver, you may need to always take the person you care for to the dentist’s office. Here is what to expect when visiting the dentist.
Prepare For the Visit
Preparing for the first visit and subsequent visits ensures your patient have all they need for the dental examination. It also helps you and the person you care for to prepare adequately for the visit. You can do ‘a get acquainted’ routine with the dental team for the first visit, so your patient gets acquainted and feels comfortable in subsequent appointments.
Below are some of the things you need to bring along as the caregiver:
Past and present medical records
The dental team will need the person’s complete medical record to start treatment. This may include a list of past and present medical problems, a copy of a recent physical examination from their doctor, a list of all known allergies, and your patient’s medications.
Medical History Form
The dental office may send you a medical history form to complete before the appointment. Fill out the individual’s medical problems, past surgeries, hospitalizations, medications, and any drug allergies and take along. If they do not send you this form, you still will need to provide this information before the dental examination.
Names and phone numbers
Of all the individual’s doctors and family members responsible for healthcare decisions. And most importantly, be on time for the appointment.
Insurance, and billing information
This is because the dentist may need to know who will be footing the bill and take legal consent before commencing treatment. So, it’s important to bring along all the necessary documents and information regarding payment and legal concerns.
What To Expect At The First Dental Visit?
- A review of past and present medical problems: The dentist will review past and present medical conditions based on the information and records you have provided. This is to familiarize the dental team with the patient’s health status.
- A check-up of the head and neck areas, mouth, and teeth are required to access dental health and spot problems earlier on.
- The dentist may also do an x-ray of the teeth to check for any problems.
Other Tips
- Bring a list of any dental concerns.
- Make sure you have accurate medical information. It can be difficult to get correct information from the individual, especially if they have dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
- Schedule an appointment at the individual’s best time. Some people do better early in the morning, while others prefer later in the day. This will make the visit less stressful for everyone.
- If the person you care for is in a wheelchair, confirm the dental office is wheelchair accessible. Offer to help transfer them from the wheelchair to the dental chair. If he or she can’t be moved out of the wheelchair, see if you can get a reclining wheelchair with a headrest for the dental visit.
- If there are medications taken for anxiety or nerves, schedule the appointment time right after that medication is normally given. They will be more relaxed during the appointment.
What To Do To Calm The Nerves Before Visiting The Dentist
Most people are usually nervous about appointments with the dentist. As a caregiver, you may need to make your patient comfortable for the appointment. Here are some of the things you can try.
- Encourage them to share how they’re feeling with the dentist. Expressing their concerns can help the dentist customize treatment to their needs.
- It might also help to play relaxing music if the dental procedure involves any drilling or noise that might make them uncomfortable or anxious. Just bring earphones along and plug in their ears when it’s time for the procedure.
- Take things slow: it’s important to be patient with your patient during the whole procedure and encourage the dentist to do the same. It’s better to start with simple procedures, establish trust before moving to more complex procedures.
- Ask for medications: You can also request medications to help the person you care for relax during the procedure. The dentist may suggest an anti-anxiety medication to help the patient relax or sedation and nitrous oxide depending on the type of procedure.
Note: Daily mouth cleaning and routine visits to the dentist are important to keep the person you care for healthy.
