SN Daughter....so difficult to keep her mouth fresh.

[gabby79]

Hi everyone. My little girl (10) has a degenerative condition which means she can no longer communicate through any means. She is tube fed and has nothing orally anymore.Over recent months we are having such problems with oral hygiene as she struggles to tolerant a toothbrush in her mouth and of course she cannot spit out. We regularly clean her lips and front teeth with glycerin swab sticks and use lip balm but her breath is becoming really unpleasant. Does anyone else have the issue? Any tips? Thank you in advance.

Will she tolerate her mouth been swept with those lollipop type sponges that they use in hospital?

These ones. You dip them in water and wipe them around the mouth.

Thank you fairgame. Can you use them inside the mouth as well as around the lips?

Hi Gabby

They're called Oral Swab sticks and are suitable for use in the mouth. They're available from the usual online retailers - amazon/ebay etc.

I would ask for referral to a specialist dentist for advice and strategies.

If she could tolerate a little brushing the Collis Curve brush does all 3 tooth surfaces at once so cuts down brushing time markedly. Or look at finger brushes used for babies maybe as it could be gentler and give you more feel.

Thank you both for being so kind xx

It's possibly a lot to do with moth breathing and the mouth getting really dry. The gp can prescribe drops that keep the mouth moist.