As most of my patients are elderly with an lengthy list of medications and a compromised health history, they have many factors against them in the respect for maintaining good oral health. Their daily oral hygiene is a challenge because of poor dexterity and for many dementia. They are high risk patients for tooth decay and gum disease. We know that this not only compromises their oral health but their overall health, putting them at greater risk for diabetes, respiratory disease, heart disease, stroke and many other diseases.
I always encourage family and friends visiting their loved ones to do them a favour and take part in their homecare. For most, this unfortunately may be the only time it may get done. Since their homecare is challenging, I am looking for additional aids to help in achieving adequate oral health. There have been great xylitol products that buffer the PH of the mouth aiding in lowering the bacteria and acidity of the saliva. But these products have been in the form of gum and mints. With my dementia patients, gum is not a good option, as they will most likely swallow it. With the mints, although small, I am afraid of it being a choking hazard.
I am very excited to have come across a new product offered in the United States and hopefully soon to be here in Canada, in the form of a chocolate chew! Yes I said chocolate…. that is good for your teeth! They are called BasicBites.
It is a sugar-free chew that helps maintain healthy teeth by supporting the normal acid-base (pH) levels that exist on tooth surfaces while coating the teeth with a mineral source. Great for dry mouth and those with excessive acid rich foods in their diet. The ingredients in these chews mimic the vital nutrients found in health saliva. Here is how it works.
https://youtu.be/nvtRncXFnns
They are exclusively sold from their website www.basicbites.com