Mouth Care Without a Battle: Change in Assisted Living Staff Self-Efficacy and Attitudes

Many older adults receiving long-term care—particularly those with cognitive impairment—require support with daily mouth care, but do not routinely receive that support; consequently, their oral hygiene is poor. Access to professional dental and dental hygiene care is often hampered by cost, lack of onsite care, and need for transportation to offsite providers. Previous research indicates that nursing home residents typically have plaque on their teeth and dentures as well as gingival irritation,1 and in a study of more than 850 assisted living (AL) residents, half had untreated tooth decay.