When we’re supporting loved ones or ladies and gents in our care during palliative or at end of life, one of the most caring and valuable things we can do for them is to help keep their mouths fresh and clean by delivering mouthcare to them on a 2 hourly basis.

Mouth care is a basic and essential care need of both palliative and end of life care to prevent oral complications, maintain adequate oral function, promote comfort, hydration and overall quality of life.

At this stage of life people are often dependent on staff for their mouth care and unfortunately oral health can often be neglected, as mouth hygiene practices get forgotten or eliminated resulting in halitosis. This, in turn, has a negative impact on a person’s wellbeing and increase their isolation as friends and family members avoiding contact with their loved ones due to their bad breath.

Top Oral Care Tips For People At End Of Life 

• There is no substitute for removing plaque from teeth than using a toothbrush and toothpaste so if the person can tolerate it, toothbrushing would be first choice. MouthEze is a suitable substitute for one or two days to use as a toothbrush, especially if the mouth is sore or ulcerated although the filaments are not robust enough to remove plaque

• Cleaning teeth BEFORE carrying out any other personal hygiene (unless there is a medical emergency), can often ‘energise’ a person at end of life, and prevent them from becoming too fatigued.

• Removing and cleaning away debris, secretions and plaque regularly as part of their mouth care really helps to maintain their dignity and comfort, provide good oral hygiene and prevent pain and infection.

So Which Are The Best Oral Care Products To Use For People Who Are End Of Life?

Knowing which products are best to use can be confusing when it comes to oral care. Some more traditional products like pink foam mouth swabs, lemon and glycerine swabs and pineapple juice are now no longer recommended due to the choking risks associated with foam swabs and the drying effects of both glycerine and pineapple.

Here Are Our Picks Of The Latest Range Of Fit For Purpose Products For Optimum Oral Care. 

• For brushing teeth use a soft, small-headed toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste which has between 1400-1500ppm (parts per million) fluoride content. A non-foaming or Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) free toothpaste such as Oralieve) is preferred because it’s more readily rinsed and residual toothpaste may have a drying effect on the mucosa. It also reduces mess, maintains dignity and is easier for the carer to clean the mouth. Without foam the carer can see what is happening inside mouth without obstruction

• For removing and cleaning away any debris in the mouth, sticky tenacious secretions, crusty plugs on the palate, stringy saliva and cleaning coated tongues, MouthEze oral cleansers, a Class I Medical Device, are a breakthrough in specialist mouthcare for use in delivering safe and gentle mouth care without the choke or aspirating hazard of sponge swabs . Moutheze will clean the tissues and collects debris simultaneously and unlike sponge swabs, the cleaning heads will not detach and form a safety hazard.

• For treating dry cracked lips use a water based product like Oralieve Nourishing Lip Balm. Contrary to popular belief oil based products such as petroleum jelly or yellow paraffin (Vaseline) act as a barrier and don’t absorb into the lips.

• If a person has a dry mouth avoid using acidic products or foods i.e. pineapple juice, as a dry mouth is acidic and this will just exacerbate the dryness. There are ranges of specially formulated products which help to moisturise and sooth the mouth, including Oralieve Moisturising Mouth Gel which provides immediate and long lasting relief from dry mouth and promotes fresh breath. It can be easily applied with a clean finger to gums, tongue and palate, or with the patented MouthEze soft headed applicator.

Traditionally, pink foam mouth swabs immersed in liquid have been used to moisten peoples’ mouths at end of life, however due to the choking risks associated with foam swabs, how do you solve the problem of keeping peoples’ mouths, lips and tongues hydrated in a safe and controlled condition?

Our Mouth Hydrator is an innovative and safe way of moisturising a person’s lips, mouth and tongue by providing a slow flow of water into the mouth  in a safe and controlled condition. 

If symptoms are not relieved consider topical saliva substitutes .There are ranges of specially formulated products which help to moisturise and sooth the mouth , including Oralieve Moisturising Mouth Gel which provides immediate and long lasting relief from dry mouth and promotes fresh breath. It can be easily applied with a clean finger to gums, tongue and palate, or with the patented MouthEze soft headed applicator.

Oralieve Moisturising Mouth Spray also provides instant relief for dry mouth helping keep it lubricated and fresh. 

Oralieve Alcohol Free Mouthrinse contains natural oral enzymes and fluoride to help supplement the saliva’s defence systems.

Oralieve Mild Mint Non Foaming Toothpaste – This gentle flavour toothpaste contains natural enzyme that protects the mouth from bacteria. Formulated without foaming agents which are known to be harmful to oral mucosa, this toothpaste cleanses, protects and freshens the mouth without burning or stinging.

Here at Hcsuk, we’ve also put together a unique product offering designed primarily for use for end of life care; we have researched current best practice and created a complete solution for your residents oral care needs in line with NICE guidelines – our End of Life Complete Oral Care Solution Kit

Safe And FIT FOR PURPOSE 

• Complete kit containing all the essential tools required to provide effective oral care
• Products included are MHRA approved and Class 1 medical device
• Infection control friendly – Supplied in a re-sealable box keeping everything clean and tidy

Each pack comes complete with a handy oral hygiene management guide to give you the knowledge and confidence to effectively take care of your residents different oral care conditions.

Included In These Packs You Will Find;

5 x MouthEze Oral Cleanser –  for removing and cleaning away any debris in the mouth

1 x MouthEze Drying Stand – for drying of Moutheze between uses

1 x Tepe Special Care Toothbrush – for soft and gentle toothbrushing for delicate mouths

1 x Bedi Mouth Shield – 1  x  Bedi Mouth Shield – a specialised mouth prop which allows mouthcare to be delivered in a safe, efficient and unobtrusive manner.

1 x 12ml Oralieve Dry Mouth Gel –  for immediate relief of dry mouth

1 x 12ml Oralieve Mild Toothpaste – non foaming to reduce risks of aspiration

1 x  10ml Nourishing Lip Balm – helps provide natural hydration and intensively moisturises lips.

1 x Pen Torch – to help see the state of inside the mouth.

1 x 70ml Hinged Lid Pot – to hold liquid for hydration.

1 x Oral Hygiene Guide

1 x Oralieve product leaflet

You can view and purchase it here

You can also download our Oral Hygiene Management Guide here including best practice tips to keep your residents’ mouths healthy and bacteria free.