I'm honestly getting pretty frustrated trying to keep up my dad's dental hygiene lately. He has dementia, and brushing teeth has become a daily battle. Sometimes he refuses outright, other times he just forgets halfway through and wanders off. I've tried different toothbrushes, toothpaste flavors, even singing songs to distract him (yeah, my singing voice isn't helping lol). Wondering if this is common or if I'm just missing something obvious here?
"Sometimes he refuses outright, other times he just forgets halfway through and wanders off."
That sounds really tough, and you're definitely not alone. One thing though—maybe instead of trying to distract him, you could try brushing your teeth alongside him? My grandma used to mirror me without realizing it... might be worth a shot.
Brushing together is actually a really thoughtful idea. I remember when my dad first started forgetting routines, it helped a lot to do things side-by-side. He'd glance over and just sort of copy me without realizing it. It didn't always work perfectly, but even partial success felt like a small victory. Hang in there—you're doing your best, and these little experiments can sometimes surprise you with how effective they are.
Brushing together can definitely help, but have you thought about mixing things up a bit? Like maybe playing some music they used to enjoy while brushing or switching toothpaste flavors? Sometimes a small change can spark interest again... worth a shot, right?
Brushing together can definitely help, but have you thought about mixing things up a bit? Like maybe playing some music they used to enjoy while brushing or switching toothpaste flavors?
My wife had dementia, and we went through something similar. Tried music too, but honestly, what worked best was brushing at the same time each day—routine seemed to ease her anxiety. Not perfect, but it helped us a bit.
