The third step in helping to maintain a resident's oral health is putting the oral health care plan into action.

Nurses and care workers hold the primary responsibility of providing oral care to residents. The provision of effective daily oral care is fundamental to a resident’s quality of life and wellbeing.

Good oral health is essential for healthy ageing (9MB PDF) provides you with an overview of the impact of poor oral health on the quality of life and wellbeing of residents. Common oral health conditions experienced by residents and information on how to provide oral care to residents with changed behaviours are provided.

Protect your resident's oral health (7MB PDF) outlines techniques to care for natural teeth and dentures, prevent gum disease, relieve dry mouth and reduce tooth decay.

It takes a team approach to maintain a healthy mouth (5MB PDF) uses clinically-based scenarios with guided questions and answers (2MB PDF) to encourage reflective practice in applying oral health knowledge and skills to everyday practice.

Dental Rescue: A Guide for Carers of the Elderly

This resource is an educational dental drama that will amuse, motivate and educate. It is an ideal tool for introducing residential aged care staff to the importance of oral health care. The resource can be used to:

• help develop skills in dental hygiene and denture care
• identify how to prevent dental problems from occurring
• teach management strategies for residents with changed behaviours
• address occupational health and safety issues
• and give an appreciation of how oral health affects wellbeing.

Dementia and oral care

This is an instructional resource demonstrating how to encourage a person with dementia to participate in oral care. It breaks oral care into six simple steps.

It starts with the mouth

This is an animated resource demonstrating what happens in the mouth when food is eaten and describes the impact of an acid attack. It goes on to describe how saliva and fluoride protect natural teeth. It introduces the concept of ‘tooth-friendly’ eating, explains the simple six question oral health assessment tool and the importance of having a dental check-up.

Care of natural teeth

This is an instructional resource demonstrating techniques used to clean another person’s natural teeth. It explains the importance of oral health and its links to general health and provides key oral health messages.

Care of dentures

This is an instructional resource demonstrating how to remove and clean dentures.

It takes a team approach

This resource uses an investigative approach to understand why a multidisciplinary team approach is crucial to achieve sustainable improvements in the health care of residents. Listen to stories from aged care staff and dental professionals as they talk about their experience and offer advice on how to make the most of improving oral health care for residents.