Took my 82 year old husband took Dentist yesterday. He is wheelchair bound and with great difficulty and help, we were able to get him in the chair. After many x rays, the Dr. told him (us) he would have to have most of his teeth extracted because they were soon to fall out. One of them was possibly infected. He could only suggest Dentures which would require many visits and some pain. He would also have to consult his doctor because of the Coumadin he's taking ...... so he would have to be off it a couple of days. It appeared to be a long procedure. Now, my husband has a mild dementia but he understood everything. He wants to wait and make a decision later. I know, he will NEVER decide to go this route. What do I do as a caring and loving wife? Do I insist he go (because this could be dangerous for him because of that mild infection which could worsen) or do I let him make up his own mind?? He also has a tear in his Retina (eye) and has refused to see his retina specialist every 4 months. So far, everything remains the same with the eye. But it could worsen. He is tired of so many doctors and he sees how difficult it is for me to take him to all these appts. Should I insist he sees these doctors or should I just leave him to make his own decisions? He is a happy guy when he's just left alone. I hate to "upset the wagon" What to do???
Two things:
1) by friend's elderly dad was on blood thinner and went to have a tooth pulled. His doc knew and his dentist knew and he then had a stroke. This is the danger.
2) Be careful of what antibiotics the dentist gives you. My mom had a course after a root canal and she developed a reaction to it that cause a great deal of swelling in her feet and legs. I can't remember the name of the drug...starts with a "c" I think...clindamycin? But not sure.
Does you husband know he won't be able to enjoy a large assortment of foods anymore? This may tip the scales in his decision. Good luck you dear, sweet trooper!
Have you made it clear to all the specialists how difficult it is to go there especially if he has an incontinence accident etc? It might be easier for a nurse to visit to test and send results back. Or they might decide it makes sense to treat the retina rather than monitor given your circumstances.
There are home visiting podiatrists who could attend rather than you struggle to take him to them at 80.
i sometimes wonder at the crazy set up for care we have that does not truly take into account all contributory factors.
That is a huge red flag for me and I would recommend seeing a different dentist.
My dad had to have all of his uppers removed and my dentist said because he is on coumadin and elderly the safest route would be an oral surgeon, the procedure took like 45 minutes from waiting room to walking out the door.
If your husband understands, I think he should be allowed to decide what will be done to his body.
I would address that infection though. Maybe he can gargle with colloidal silver and heal it up without antibiotics. I would try that 1st, I would not trust the dentist if he didn't address that infection, period. That is criminal in my opinion, oral infections are extremely dangerous.
Dad does not have dementia.
After much pushing, he agreed to go to the dentist. He had 3 abscesses and at that time had those three teeth pulled as well as some of the broken roots. Dad has a heart condition and there is a link between dental infections and heart problems.
It was a painful procedure over a few appointments. He probably should have the rest of his teeth pulled, as more have broken off since he last went to the dentist. If they break below the gum line the odds of infection are higher. But Dad refuses to go back. He eats softer food, hamburger, not steak, cannot eat fresh leafy greens anymore. He is not at all interested in dentures, nor does he care how he looks with his broken teeth and missing teeth.
With the eye - how long has it been in its current condition? And if it *were* to deteriorate, what would be the signs and what would the specialist then do?
I'm not one to be over cynical, and in spite of everything I do still have faith in licensed healthcare practitioners to put their patients' best interests first - no, really, I do, mainly, on balance - but apart from the fee what has been the aim of reviewing this retinal tear every four months?
glaucoma once every 4 months. Also his Hemotologist ( ITP ) every month. his endrocronologist..(Diabetis and thyroid, and cholesterol ) every 4 months, his podiatrist every 2 months....etc. He also has poor control of his bowel movements. We were out today and he lost it. What a mess cleaning him up. You can't imagine. I just want him to stay at home at this pont. It's exasperating for both of us. Mainly ME ! Does that answer your question ?? one more thing, I check his insulin level every day and also I do the INR testing every 2 weeks. I am 80 years old !
As to the teeth. Many people do well with just gumming food, and unfortunately some parts of our country are almost without affordable dental care; that said the INFECTED tooth must be addressed, because the infection could go systemic.
I think you are playing the odds at some point. I wonder about going all out with many visits, much pain, with dentures at this point, so might let him make that decision, as well as the decision about his eye. However, the infected tooth? That's gotta go. IMHO.
You are really going the extra yards to try to figure out what is best for HIM, and so good of you to do so. Good luck. Give us an update when you have time.