Dental hygienist Nicole Edworthy cleans the teeth of a resident at Temiskaming Lodge.
Mobile dental hygienist gives residents a reason to smile
Oral health important factor in overall well-being, says DOC
Wednesday February 11, 2009 -- Natalie Miller
Brighter, cleaner teeth are bringing smiles to the faces of Temiskaming Lodge residents these days.

Having wanted to offer dental hygiene services in-house to residents for some time, the Haileybury long-term care home recently connected with the Mobile Dental Hygiene Clinic.

Hygienist Nicole Edworthy arrived equipped with a portable dental chair, instruments, sterilizing equipment and toothbrushes for the residents. After spending a day at the Jarlette-owned 82-bed long-term care home, she saw eight residents who were "thrilled with the service," says Margaret Catt, director of care (DOC).

Edworthy cleaned residents' teeth and made recommendations to see a dentist for further assessment as appropriate.

Catt says having a dental hygienist come to the home provides a service that previously wasn't accessible to residents. Living in the small community of Haileybury, while there are dentists and hygienists they have busy practices, and the home is 100 miles away from North Bay, the closest larger centre.

Having residents travel from a long-term care setting to the dentist isn't realistic in most cases, notes Catt.

"Some people aren't very mobile and it's a challenge getting them there."

"There are other ways to get service," says Catt, referring to the mobile hygienist program discovered by administrator Francine Gosselin.

Catt says it's an important service.

"Oral health is a really important part of overall good health. It's a very big deal."

If issues like tooth decay, gum disease and abscesses go undetected they have the potential to lead to problems for some people, like poor chewing and/or decreased appetite related to the discomfort.

Meanwhile, some residents are unable to communicate the problem. Their overall health can "really deteriorate," she explains.

The home is planning to have the hygienist visit once a quarter.

Residents and/or their families pay for the service while others qualify for assistance from the Ontario Disability Support Program or the Veterans Independence Program.

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