Improving Mouth Care

Improving Mouth Care 

Health Education England working across the South East has developed this e-learning package to support the training of all healthcare professionals involved in mouth care. It has been designed to give health and care staff guidance to provide evidenced based mouth care.  It emphasises the importance of oral health and its links to general health with the intention of ensuring that their patients and clients can enjoy the benefits of good oral hygiene and oral health as part of general health care.

Why is oral health care important?

Oral diseases are among the most common non-communicable diseases despite being largely preventable. Oral health is an important part of general health and well-being. It allows people to eat, speak and socialise without discomfort or embarrassment. Studies have shown links between poor oral health and diabetes, stroke, heart disease, lung disease and dementia. Poor dental function also results in a lower intake of nutritious food, more intestinal problems, increased drug intake and ultimately a lower life expectancy. Dental pain and infection impair cognitive function which may already be reduced in adults with a learning disability or older people, especially those who have dementia. Aspiration pneumonia is the fourth overall leading cause of death in hospitals. Many cases of bacterial pneumonia are caused by bacteria from the mouth or throat. Effective mouth care can help to reduce the number of bacteria retained in the mouth and therefore decrease the incidence of hospital and care home acquired pneumonias.

The aims of Improving Mouth Care e-learning are to:

• Improve understanding of the importance of oral health and the causes of poor oral health
• Demonstrate how to include mouth care in care planning
• Show how to make an oral health needs assessment for each individual using a dedicated assessment tool
• Show how to check a mouth, follow a mouth care plan and what it may include
• Provide up to date information on techniques and products for effective mouth care for natural teeth and dentures
• Show how to help people with their oral hygiene needs if they require support and how to develop strategies for individuals for whom mouth care is challenging.
• Demonstrate how to keep records of mouth care delivered.
• Describe when and how to escalate an oral health problem

There are 3 sessions:

1. Introduction to mouth care – Aimed at year one pre-registration nurses and staff working in the community. This level has simple, retainable advice on mouth care with guidance suitable for Health Care Assistants.
2. Mouth care for Adults – Aimed at providing additional material for use later in nurse training, covering systemic diseases and extended content on how to support individuals with Dementia or diminished capacity. Suitable for nurses responsible for assessment and care planning.
3. Mouth care for people with additional needs – suitable for staff looking after people with more challenging oral health issues and or behaviour that makes oral care difficult.

The format is interactive and each module contains links to additional resources.

All 3 levels have an assessment and successful completion will require a pass rate of 80%.

Care for people living with dementia is threaded throughout.

Improving Mouth Care - elearning for healthcare