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A SIMPLE, INEXPENSIVE HOME DENTAL CARE AID
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SIMPLE, INEXPENSIVE
HOME DENTAL CARE AID MICHAEL W. DAVIS, D.D.S.; PAMELA R. DYER, R.D.H. D -
iminished motor skills may influence a patient's oral hygiene home care abilities. The physical ability to hold and manipulate dental care aids may be reduced in patients who have osteoarthritis or have experienced strokes. Such patients require assistive devices to achieve optimal home care. However, because these patients may not volunteer information about any difficulties they may be having, it is vital that dental professionals take the lead and provide them with good oral hygiene education. During maintenance visits, patients can be given dental care products to meet their specific requirements. This may include items such as a soft brush, floss, a floss holder, a rubber-tipped stimulator or an interdental brush. During the visit, the patient not only should be instructed in home care techniques, but also should be asked to demonstrate them to a trained dental professional.
resin and inserted a toothbrush or other home care aid. Drilling holes in a tennis ball and securing a toothbrush in it provides a grip that works equally well. Unfortunately, these techniques
Meeting the indiWidual needs of a specific patient helps build and preserve the dentistpatient relationship. are costly in terms of fabrication time and, to a lesser extent, materials. Instead, we have devised a less expensive grip that takes far less time and almost nothing
in the way of materials to create. Simply save the center spools from empty rolls of adding machine paper. Slide a spool over the handle of a dental care aid (Figure). The patient's grip is improved, and he or she can resume demonstration of the home care technique. CONCLUSION
It is important for practitioners to provide patients who have physical limitations with simple and inexpensive methods of fa-
cilitating self-care. Recycling these simple plastic spools not only is environmentally responsible but also, as shown in this case, helps to empower patients. Meeting the individual needs of a specific patient helps build and preserve the dentist-patient relationship. m Dr. Davis is in private practice at 80 Pleasant St., Brunswick, Maine 04011. Address reprint requests to Dr. Davis. Ms. Dyer is a registered dental hygienist in private practice in Brunswick, Maine.
GETTING A GRIP ON HOMIE DENTAL CARE
AIDS
Patients who have difficulty demonstrating effective technique because they are unable to grip things securely need further assistance. In the past, the authors have taken a rubber grip from a bicycle handle, filled it with methylmethacrylate tray
Figure. Adding machine paper spool slipped over toothbrush handle to
enhance patient's grip. JADA, Vol. 128, February 1997 229
A
SIMPLE, INEXPENSIVE
HOME DENTAL CARE AID MICHAEL W. DAVIS, D.D.S.; PAMELA R. DYER, R.D.H. D -
iminished motor skills may influence a patient's oral hygiene home care abilities. The physical ability to hold and manipulate dental care aids may be reduced in patients who have osteoarthritis or have experienced strokes. Such patients require assistive devices to achieve optimal home care. However, because these patients may not volunteer information about any difficulties they may be having, it is vital that dental professionals take the lead and provide them with good oral hygiene education. During maintenance visits, patients can be given dental care products to meet their specific requirements. This may include items such as a soft brush, floss, a floss holder, a rubber-tipped stimulator or an interdental brush. During the visit, the patient not only should be instructed in home care techniques, but also should be asked to demonstrate them to a trained dental professional.
resin and inserted a toothbrush or other home care aid. Drilling holes in a tennis ball and securing a toothbrush in it provides a grip that works equally well. Unfortunately, these techniques
Meeting the indiWidual needs of a specific patient helps build and preserve the dentistpatient relationship. are costly in terms of fabrication time and, to a lesser extent, materials. Instead, we have devised a less expensive grip that takes far less time and almost nothing
in the way of materials to create. Simply save the center spools from empty rolls of adding machine paper. Slide a spool over the handle of a dental care aid (Figure). The patient's grip is improved, and he or she can resume demonstration of the home care technique. CONCLUSION
It is important for practitioners to provide patients who have physical limitations with simple and inexpensive methods of fa-
cilitating self-care. Recycling these simple plastic spools not only is environmentally responsible but also, as shown in this case, helps to empower patients. Meeting the individual needs of a specific patient helps build and preserve the dentist-patient relationship. m Dr. Davis is in private practice at 80 Pleasant St., Brunswick, Maine 04011. Address reprint requests to Dr. Davis. Ms. Dyer is a registered dental hygienist in private practice in Brunswick, Maine.
GETTING A GRIP ON HOMIE DENTAL CARE
AIDS
Patients who have difficulty demonstrating effective technique because they are unable to grip things securely need further assistance. In the past, the authors have taken a rubber grip from a bicycle handle, filled it with methylmethacrylate tray
Figure. Adding machine paper spool slipped over toothbrush handle to
enhance patient's grip. JADA, Vol. 128, February 1997 229