Returned from Hospital with no teeth

[norma1980]

My very elderly dad fell in the early hours and an ambulance took him in.

He was kept in A&E for the day and then dropped home later that day.

The people who dropped him home left him in living room and said he wasn't allowed upstairs without assistance and someone would be there within the hour to help him. No one has attended yet.

He was also returned home without his teeth.

He has no spare pair. No dentist.

I phoned hospital (I don't live in the country) and they said "it happens all the time" (lost teeth) and they can't find them. No idea what happened to them. He definitely went to hospital with them.

I know things happen but I've now a very elderly man who has no teeth and will be on soup for god knows how long.

I've called GP and local dentists and no one can help.

GP told me to call PALS and that's it.

Anyone experience anything similar please?

Unfortunately it happens many, many times .

You can try calling PALS to see about hospital paying for a new set. However they cannot help with getting a dentist.

when he has his next set made get them to put his name inside the dentures so if they get lost he can be reunited with them. That being said it’s because 9 times out of 10 they are wrapped up in a tissue then accidentally binned .

The other warning is if he has had the same dentures many years it can be very difficult to, if not impossible, to get used to a new set when you are elderly . That being said even if he has no teeth most can , with careful selection, eat reasonably well .

Yes, this happened to my Dad. So frustrating as they also lost one of his hearing aids. I managed to get hold of a dentist who ordered new dentures and I ordered a new hearing aid. Sadly he died before either arrived and it all just made a bloody awful time worse.

I am so sorry you are on this position, I also live overseas and feels impossible to get things done sometimes.

I agree. I was always as a CT radiographer shocked at how casually in-patients belongings, (many from ED) were left in non descriptive bags under trollers or on the side; clothing, pairs of glasses, shoes, false teeth and expensive hearing aids.

Every so often there'd be a push to remind staff to ensure stuff stayed with patients, but, frankly, as time went on, more and more of our newer staff barely knew anything about the patient they'd accompanied to us, complete personal and professional uninterest. Thus no investment in helping that patient or advocating for them regarding personal property.

Regarding false teeth getting binned, this was a common occurrence.

They get wrapped in tissues and put on the side, 'hidden', because, frankly, many are disgustingly to look at. I'm not apportioning blame, just stating a reality.

I know this happens all the time but I'm genuinely curious.... why does it happen? Why are they removed from the patient at all? And why dont the patients keep a track of them either? Like unless dementia is an issue (and I'd hope then that people wouldnt be alone at the hospital either then) why do so many people get separated from their belongings, surely you always keep them with you?

Poorly, elderly people can’t be expected to keep a track on their belongings in hospitals. Staff should make sure everything stays with the patient. Easier said than done.
What can help is if people have a denture pot with their name on. A brightly coloured pot. Same for glasses cases, men often have dark ones but a bright apple green case stands out.
Also worth getting some stick on, washable name labels for clothing in advance of hospital admission. They’re all fairly cheap.
As OP has demonstrated, the loss of items can create real difficulties.

Hi All

Many thanks for these really useful tips.

Getting his name inscribed on his teeth etc. and clothes labels. I suspect more hospital visits will happen and more frequently.

He's had this set for a very long time and my concern is that when he gets a new pair they'll hurt. I didn't realise he may not be able to get a new set.

He was only taken in as he fell and no one could get him up. I don't live in the country. It's such a shame that he's come back with no teeth which is causing him and my elderly mum (who is his carer) distress.

He doesn't go out these days so even getting him to any dentist will be difficult.

I know hospital staff have so much to contend with but no one cared when I called yesterday.

My mum eventually got a dentist to come to the house and do a check and I think had impressions done - it was the only way she could access dental care. She’s lost glasses and clothes in hospital visits (she has also come home with lovely warm blankets, it seems very random).

How would I go about trying to get some
money for his dentures please?

Is there a complaint form with PALS?

I did speak with them this morning for the local area and they were very nice and said they'd chase up the teeth but no mention of what happens if not found or contribution to new ones.

Most dentists in the area are no longer NHS so he'd be looking private and I suspect that could be thousands?

We have a dental hospital in the city which may be an option? Though I've heard you need to be prepared to wait for hours.

I've just spoken with my dad and he's not doing good at all bless him. I asked him what his biggest concern was at the moment (he has lots of ailments) and he said his teeth.

There's no quick fix here to give him some comfort

I’m not at all surprised. An elderly relative of mine went into hospital for a minor procedure. She had been treated for and recovered from mouth cancer in the past and had a false plate which formed the roof of her mouth. Without it she was unable to eat or speak properly.

Guess what! The hospital lost it. Then they decided it was too risky to feed her so didn’t bother doing anything. She was admitted on a Tuesday for this minor op and died 10 days later after utter neglect by the hospital. Went in as a fairly mobile and chirpy 90 year old and never came home.

We didn’t even get an apology.

You can try for money via PALS. They will advise you of process in your area. The hospital amy be able to arrange treatment from community dentists but there are large waiting list for that.

Dental hospital will only take on patients that are very difficult to treat or that are suitable for students to treat. I’ve attached a photo of the process from Birmingham dental hospital. It takes many visits , each visit is an hour or more and there may well be a waiting list .

I'd focus efforts on getting replacement dentures rather than complaining to PALS or hospital. Yes of course they should have bagged his stuff but also A&E is a busy messy place and it's hard to keep track of stuff. It was probably removed for an x-ray or something and then forgotten
Whilst you may have a decent case to argue with the hospital it's not going to be resolved quickly so if your priority is dentures, focus all efforts on that

Each hospital has their own pals services so just google names of hospital and PALS and it should find the website page

Yes! It's so frustrating, do they not have a procedure to deal with this?

Oh your poor Dad OP.

This happened to my Dad when he was in hospital for a couple of weeks. I went in to visit him and he couldn't find his teeth. I hunted around and asked staff. The next day they still hadn't turned up so I got down on my hands and knees and there they were, sat underneath his locker beside his bed. Goodness knows how they got down there and also that no staff member had bothered to look properly. He also lost his toilet bag with all his shaving kit in during this stay but luckily he got that back.

I would keep looking for them under cupboards and everywhere they could have slid off his bed and ended up hidden. It's such a nightmare! Hope you get it sorted for him.

Good advice from pp’s in regard to getting new teeth.
You might find some of the cost might be covered by his house contents insurance- it’s worth asking? In the meantime, there are some companies that supply soft and puréed meals that could be nutritionally better than soup.
https://www.wiltshirefarmfoods.com/about-our-food/softer-foods?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD_V8ARoKLocckarA5wFUiZsYnOeT&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiojym5C-iwMVWpFQBh3q0gqxEAAYASAAEgKDpPD_BwE

This happened to my aunt and despite My very best efforts, she sadly died 9 months later, still with no teeth. they were thrown away by a cleaner.

no dentist - including her own - would countenance going out to see her, the hospital’s own dental department “couldn’t help” and her own Dentist wouldn’t make a new pair without her coming in for a new fitting which she couldn’t manage. It broke my heart tbh.

I truly hope you manage to find a solution op. Your poor dad.

To be fair , pre 2006 , dentists used to do home visits on the NHS. When the new contract came in home visits became the responsibility of NHS commisssioning services . In my area there has been ,effectively, no home visit service since. Those areas that do it is mostly done by community dental service with massive waits for treatment.
Google domicillary dentist for details of home visits in your area. Most will be private. Some authorities do commission domicillary services though.

The problem is now, even , privately there are so many regulations to comply with to go on emergency visits that unless that is what you specialise in , for most dentists it is not worth equipping themselves to do home visits.

You have to have the same oxygen , resuscitation kit, emergency drugs kit etc as you would in the surgery , you have to have a nurse with you , car insurance to cover carrying oxygen, specialised kit for home visits etc. You can’t just turn up with impression materials , wax and a wax burner like you used to in the old days.

This happened to us too, sent FIL home without his hearing aids which had cost him a fortune, as he'd paid privately for them. Also, he was extremely vulnerable and there was a long gap between being dropped off and the carers arriving. We were given very little notice that he was being sent home and I had to leave my job (ironically, as a Carer) to get to his house and look after him.

I would focus on both.
By getting a financial penalty the hospital may change their policy and come up with a solution to stop dentures and glasses going missing.

Wow thanks everyone for coming back to me on this - I really appreciate it. I'm so sorry for all those who lost relatives and who were also badly affected by critical items getting lost. Food is probably only enjoyment my dad is at moment along with tv.

X

@Lollygaggle trust me I became horribly familiar with the machinations of nhs dentistry during my fruitless battle to help my aunty.

the added kicker in her case was that she lived extremely remotely, in an area 200 miles from me.

it was a depressing nightmare for her. She was so embarrassed by how she looked as well as the problems with a limited diet. It totally destroyed any last vestiges of dignity for her.

Sorry @norma1980 this is probably not what you want to hear but I think you might have do either pay or resign your dad to it. I’m so sorry.

For context, dentures and hearing aids get removed for head and neck scans, both CT and MRI.

Many elderly people present having fallen so it's not unusual to scan to find out a potential cause for the fall, and look for head injuries sustained.

Not making excuses, just giving reasons.

I don't disagree but right now today it won't get the dentures quickly and if you're overseas and can only make a few calls, my point was the dentist side is the priority.
File written complaints etc but they will take time to work though

Thanks everyone - I don't think he had any scan or X-ray. Not sure how he came to take them out.

I wonder if house insurance would cover it. As everyone has said I'm just keen to get him sorted asap now. 😕.