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Oral Health Care: The Nurse's Role in the Community

Nurse Oral Healthcare

Oral health care is critical. In the community, nurses and other multidisciplinary teams can address strategies to improve dental health, reduce pain, provide proper nutrition, and promote optimal general and psychosocial well-being. The detrimental effects of poor oral health can often be overlooked, resulting in low prioritization of oral care when compared to other care roles. A multidisciplinary approach to maintaining the good oral health of dependent community patients must be established, with the help of dentists, nurses, carers, and family members.

What Is the Importance of Oral Health Care?
Many chronic systemic disorders, like diabetes and CVD or cardiovascular disease, have a symbiotic relationship with oral health. Poor oral health can aggravate pre-existing diseases by contributing to malnutrition and dehydration. Improving not only a person's oral health, but also their function and ability to eat, drink, and speak, can improve their overall quality of life. More emphasis should be made on medical practitioners' comprehension of these connections in order to raise the priority of dental care in line with other areas of general healthcare.

Listed below are some of the most popular and effective oral health activities that nurses and their teams could perform with the community.

Free Oral Health Checks
This one is a little more complicated because it will necessitate your dental staff to provide particular materials that create a safe and hygienic atmosphere for your group. Despite this, we have witnessed numerous instances of dental teams performing oral health screenings for groups. These can help detect tooth problems early on and prevent them from worsening, which is especially important if you do not believe your group goes to the dentist on a regular basis.

Brushing and Flossing Demonstration
Refusing or forgetting to brush and floss might lead to gum or periodontal disease. Brushing removes plaque, which is the primary cause of tooth decay and gum disease; it also prevents the production of plaque. Dental floss is an efficient and simple instrument that might be one of your strongest defenses against periodontal disease. Plaque and bacteria buildup causes periodontal disease. Your daily oral hygiene routine should include a thorough two-minute brushing at least twice a day. You should also incorporate flossing into your routine.

Flossing, on the other hand, can help prevent tooth decay, which can lead to dental cavities, or the growth of holes in the teeth, a disease that can end in tooth loss. Flossing also aids in the prevention of bad breath, which may deter acquaintances, colleagues, and family members from building deeper interpersonal interactions with you.

Mouth Cancer Action Program
In the previous decade, the number of patients diagnosed with mouth cancer has increased by over two-thirds. Unfortunately, as the number of persons diagnosed with the condition rises, so does the number of people who succumb to the sickness. Those who survive oral cancer may experience long-term complications that have a significant influence on their daily lives. Breathing difficulties, eating and drinking issues, and communication obstacles are all regular occurrences. In the previous decade, the number of patients diagnosed with mouth cancer has increased by over two-thirds. Cancer, like any other disease, requires preventive care.

Any of these concepts could be adapted to a wide range of audiences. The value of oral health education in the community should not be underestimated, since it can have a significant impact on the population's dental health.

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Photo Source: Free Stock photos by Vecteezy
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