Since ancient times, people have recognized the value of cleaning their teeth.
The ancient Egyptians even recorded practices of teeth cleaning. They created toothpaste using vinegar, crushed pumice stone, egg, and oyster shells. The Greeks and Romans continued the practice of using abrasive materials like crushed bones and shells as a way to clean their teeth. The Persians added gypsum, herbs, and honey to their mixtures. This was well before the toothbrush had even been invented. People used small twigs and bamboo to create their toothbrushes. According to Wikipedia, William Addis was an English entrepreneur believed to have marketed the first mass-produced toothbrush in 1780.
As an interesting note: during the 19th century, barbers often doubled as dentists and surgeons, by pulling teeth as well as cutting hair. The first dental school opened in 1840; the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery. From that point on, the field of dentistry became more specialized, heading into the modern era. In the early 1800’s, an American dentist, Levi Spear Parmly encouraged regular flossing when he recommended running “waxed silken thread” between the teeth “to dislodge that irritating matter which no brush can remove, and which is the real source of disease.”
The 20th century brought many significant improvements to dental care including the high-speed drill, the discovery of x-rays, dental implants, and laser treatments.
The 21st century has continued to bring many improvements, including studies confirming the surprising benefits good dental hygiene brings, not only to your teeth, but your heart, lungs, and even your brain.
Dental Hygiene and Dementia
Oral hygiene habits can also be a factor in your risk of dementia. Recent research suggests that the bacteria in your mouth may be linked to changes in brain function as people age. PubLMed.com published a study revealing the Association Between Oral Hygiene Behaviours and Cognitive Decline in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Another study, led by the University of Exeter, found that certain bacteria were associated with better memory and attention, while others were linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
How can you help your loved ones brush
from Unsplash
Good dental hygiene is essential for anyone wishing to have a healthy mouth, as well as reduce their risk of dementia and other health issues. If you are caring for a loved one, it is also important to help them brush. Back in 2018, I wrote Brush Your Teeth to Stay Healthy after learning about the surprising connection between dental hygiene and the bacteria found in pneumonia as well as arthritis in the knees.
When caring for Mama when she had dementia, we learned that some activities were easier than others to get her to do. Due to muscle memory, she had no difficulty brushing her teeth. In order to trigger her tooth-brushing muscle memory there was a certain way I had to go about it. If I suggested it was time to brush her teeth, she would simply look at me, but if I took her to the bathroom and handed her the toothbrush (pre-loaded with a small amount of toothpaste), she would begin brushing her teeth.
Advice from a Dental Hygienist
I asked my niece, Hannah Whitten, RDH, a Registered Dental Hygienist if she had any advice for caregivers. She replied that it is important to emphasize the need for caregivers to take care of their own dental and overall health. Because if they aren’t healthy, it is harder to take care of someone else. Also, caregivers should understand that helping their loved one with teeth brushing doesn’t have to be done perfectly, but something is better than nothing. If the person they care for is bedridden, they can be helped by what is called dry brushing. There is no need for toothpaste – just get the toothbrush a little wet. It will make a huge difference.
What type of toothbrush is best?
Thankfully, innovations in the 21st century have brought an explosion of tooth-brushing options. For yourself, whatever one you’ll use is the best. A website from Smiles on the Upper Westside offers some great tips and advice on what to choose.
The Alzheimer’s Association offers some additional advice on choosing a toothbrush for someone who may have difficulty brushing:
- Try a children’s toothbrush with soft bristles. It might work better or feel better than an adult’s toothbrush with hard bristles.
- Look for toothbrushes that have long handles or an angled head. They might be easier to use than regular toothbrushes.
- Try gum and teeth wipe tissues if brushing is difficult.
How To Help Elderly Brush Their Teeth
It can be challenging for both the caregiver and their loved ones to brush their teeth once someone is experiencing cognitive decline. SeniorSafetyAdvice.com offers tips on how to make the experience easier. Their tips include where to stand, how to hold the brush, and what type of brush may work best.
But wait! There’s more!
Brushing alone is not the whole story. A key component of oral hygiene is flossing. An article in the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine explains that brushing only cleans 60% of your teeth, making flossing essential.
At the end of the day
Muscle memory helped Mama with many activities that enhanced her life that her brain could no longer help her with. Besides teeth brushing, her meticulous hand-washing, and even her particular way of folding towels were activities that lasted well after other abilities fell away. It was the routines she developed during her pre-dementia years that created muscle memory, it makes me think that I should give some serious thought about establishing routines to develop or reinforce muscle memory for actions that I want to last.