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5.21: Skills Checklist- Denture Care

  • Page ID
    70349

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    1. Gather Supplies: Gloves, denture brush, denture toothpaste if available, dentures, denture cup, denture cleansing tablet if desired, emesis/oral basin, oral swab, cup of water, clothing protector (towel), barrier (paper towel), sink liner (paper towel or washcloth), and linen bag or hamper. See Figure 5.26[1] at the end of this checklist for an image of an oral swab.
    2. Routine Pre-Procedure Steps:
      • Knock on the resident’s door.
      • Perform hand hygiene.
      • Maintain respectful, courteous, and professional communication at all times.
      • Introduce yourself and identify the resident.
      • Provide for privacy.
      • Explain the procedure to the resident.
    3. Procedure Steps:
      • Put on gloves.
      • Place all supplies on a barrier.
      • Place a clothing protector on the resident.
      • Line the sink with a washcloth or paper towel.
      • Remove dentures from the cup or remove them from the resident’s mouth and place them in the denture cup or emesis basin.
      • Handle the dentures carefully to avoid damage or contamination.
      • Wet the denture brush and apply denture toothpaste if available. Water alone is acceptable to clean dentures if toothpaste is not available.
      • Thoroughly brush the inner, outer, and chewing surfaces of each denture.
      • Rinse the dentures using clean, cool water and place them on a clean barrier or in an emesis basin.
      • Rinse the denture cup.
      • Place the dentures in a rinsed cup.
      • Wet an oral swab and gently clean all surfaces of the resident’s gums and tongue.
      • Allow the resident to rinse and spit into the emesis basin.
      • Place the dentures in the resident’s mouth if desired.
      • Wipe the resident’s mouth and remove the clothing protector, placing it in an appropriate container.
      • In the evening, place the dentures in the denture cup and add cool, clean water to the denture cup to cover the dentures.
      • Put a denture cleansing tablet in the cup, if desired.
      • Rinse the equipment (denture brush and emesis basin).
      • Return the equipment to storage.
      • Discard the protective lining in an appropriate container.
      • Remove the gloves, turning them inside out.
    4. Post-Procedure Steps:
      • Perform hand hygiene.
      • Check for resident comfort and ask if anything else is needed.
      • Ensure the bed is low and locked. Check the brakes.
      • Place the call light or signaling device within reach of the resident.
      • Open the door and privacy curtain.
      • Perform hand hygiene.
      • Document and report any oral issues or changes noted with the resident.
    Photo showing an oral swab still inside unopened packaging
    Figure 5.26 Oral Swab

    View a YouTube video[2] of an instructor demonstrating denture care:

     


    1. "Oral Swab" by Landon Cerny is licensed under CC BY 4.0
    2. Chippewa Valley Technical College. (2022, December 3). Denture Care. [Video]. YouTube. Video licensed under CC BY 4.0. https://youtu.be/kDWlh3lRGnk

    This page titled 5.21: Skills Checklist- Denture Care is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Myra Sandquist Reuter via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.