Dr. Neville is a traveling, in home dentist who serves the aging community in and around Philadelphia Pennsylvania. She serves Chester County, Delaware County, Montgomery County, and Bucks County as well. She has a day rate for those outside of her service area. View our Mobile Dentist Locations page to view all of the areas serviced by Geriatric House Call Dentistry.
To contact or learn more about Dr. Abby Neville visit her page here >
In this video, Dr. Kauffman and Dr. Neville talk about how they teach caregivers to properly care for their loved one’s teeth and the products they recommend for at-home oral care.
As house call dentists, a big part of our job is teaching caregivers the easiest and most effective techniques for cleaning their loved one’s teeth. We are also able to recommend products that can prevent tooth decay and make cleaning easier for caregivers. Dr. Neville provides oral care for home bound patients with dementia in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs. If your loved one lives in this area, Dr. Neville can provide them with compassionate dental care from the comfort of home.
Why You Should Use a Real Toothbrush Instead of a Sponge
We commonly hear caregivers tell us that using a regular toothbrush causes the patient’s gums to bleed, so they opt to use a soft sponge to clean the teeth. This is problematic because first, there is a reason why the gums are bleeding that needs to be addressed. Second, the sponge toothbrushes only remove large food debris, but they don’t clean the mouth properly.
What Causes Gums to Bleed When Brushing?
Many of our patients take medications that cause them to experience dry mouth. When the mouth is dry, the gums can become very red and irritated, and this causes them to bleed when the caregiver brushes. If your loved one is experiencing dry mouth, we have products we can recommend to help reduce pain and bleeding. Dry mouth can lead to tooth decay, so it’s very important to address this issue early on.
Techniques and Products We Recommend for Geriatric Dental Care
One of the main problems we encounter is that dementia patients have a tendency to bite down on the toothbrush. This is a natural response, and there is a simple solution. We use bite sticks when treating our patients, and caregivers can use them when providing daily oral care for their loved ones. Bite sticks are inexpensive, reusable, and comfortable for the patient. Another product we recommend is All Day. This is a product that prevents dry mouth and is safe for the patient to swallow. During your loved one’s appointment, we will show you brushing techniques that are easy and effective. Our goal is to treat your loved one and leave you with the resources you need to provide routine, daily oral care.
Make an Appointment with Dr. Neville
At Geriatric House Call Dentistry, we strive to provide caregivers and patients with a positive, fun experience. We love our patients, and we involve the family in the treatment process so they can have an easier time cleaning their loved one’s teeth after we leave. If your loved one needs to see Dr. Neville, you can contact her by filling out the form online.
