Oral Care Training

About Oral Hygiene Training

This oral care training is aimed at anyone who is responsible for providing personal care to clients.

The course highlights the importance of Oral Health including how plaque causes dental disease, why teeth should be brushed, how to care for dentures and the link between oral health and general health.

This course is particularly valuable when caring for patients who are medically compromised due to dysphagia training or being in palliative care.

Course Info:

• Course Duration: 2- 3 hours
• Course Level: Level 2
• Certificate: 1-year certificate
• Max Delegates: 12
• Practical: No
• Course Mode: Face to Face/Virtual 

Interested in the online course, buy the oral hygiene online course here.

You can buy the online LMS courses cheaper for groups and combine with over 80+ courses.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the course, you will be able to:

1. Define oral hygiene and its importance in health maintenance
2. Identify populations at risk for compromised oral hygiene and discuss potential consequences
3. Describe common issues associated with inadequate oral hygiene practices
4. Assess the impact of poor oral hygiene on quality of life, including recognisable signs and symptoms
5. Evaluate the principles and application of person-centered care in oral hygiene
6. Identify the responsibilities of individuals in maintaining oral hygiene
7. Explain the role of MDT in promoting and supporting oral

Oral Hygiene Training Benefits:

• Better Patient Care: Learn how to teach and support patients in good oral hygiene, boosting their overall health.
• Fewer Readmissions: Help patients avoid problems and stay out of the hospital by encouraging good oral hygiene habits.
• Improved Patient Experience: Make patients feel more comfortable and confident during treatments by ensuring they have fresh breath and a healthy mouth.
• Support Compliance: Learn how to motivate patients and help them stick to good oral hygiene routines.
• Infection Control: Understand how proper oral hygiene can lower the risk of infections picked up in the hospital.
• Professional Growth: Improve your skills and show your commitment to caring for patients.

Who Should Take This Course?

Oral hygiene training is beneficial for a variety of healthcare professionals and caregivers, including:

• Nurses and Nursing Assistants: To provide better oral care to patients and prevent oral health issues.
• Dental Hygienists and Dental Assistants: To enhance their skills and knowledge in oral care.
• Care Home Staff: To improve the oral health of residents in long-term care facilities.
• Home Care Aides: To support clients with their daily oral hygiene routines.
• Doctors and Medical Practitioners: To understand the importance of oral health in overall patient care.
• Physician Assistants: To integrate oral health into their patient care practices.
• Health Educators: To teach patients and communities about the importance of oral hygiene.
• Childcare Workers: To ensure the oral health of children in their care.
• Individuals Providing Care for Family Members: To offer better oral care at home.

This training is necessary for anyone involved in patient care to ensure they have the skills and knowledge to maintain and promote good oral hygiene.

Oral Care Training FAQs

What is oral care training?

Oral care training (oral hygiene training) for care staff means teaching and showing people who work in places like nursing homes, assisted living places, or home health care how to keep residents’ or patients’ mouths healthy.

This training covers these important things:

1. Why oral hygiene matters: Understanding why it’s important to keep mouths healthy for overall health, to prevent infections, and to keep up the quality of life.
2. Mouth and teeth basics: Knowing the basic parts of the mouth, teeth, and gums, and common mouth problems.
3. Cleaning techniques: The right ways to brush teeth, use dental floss, clean dentures, and use mouth rinses or other tools.
4. Adjusting for different needs: Ways to help people who can’t move well or think clearly, like those with dementia or Parkinson’s disease.
5. Spotting mouth problems: Recognizing signs of possible mouth problems like cavities, gum disease, dry mouth, or sores.
6. Writing things down and telling others: Keeping good records of the mouth care given and telling doctors or nurses about any worries.
7. Stopping infections: Keeping things clean and safe, handling mouth care tools right, and not spreading infections.
8. Talking well and being kind: Ways to talk well with residents or patients while doing mouth care, making sure it’s a good and kind experience.

The training might be in a classroom, showing how to do things, and trying it out to make sure care staff can do mouth care well.

Keeping mouths healthy is really important for health, comfort, and life quality, especially for people who can’t do it all alone.

How to become an oral health practitioner? (6 steps)

• Earn a Bachelor’s degree in Dental Hygiene, Dental Therapy, or a related field.
• Gain practical experience through clinical training in dental offices or healthcare settings.
• Pass UK licensure exams to become a licensed Dental Hygienist, Dental Therapist, or Oral Health Practitioner.
• Maintain your license by completing continuing education on oral health practices.
• Optionally pursue advanced certifications in areas like pediatric dentistry or public health.
• Join a professional association such as the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy for networking and support.

Specific requirements, program lengths, and licenses may vary within the UK.

How do nurses care for oral hygiene?

Nurses play a crucial role in maintaining patients’ oral hygiene by:

• Checking the mouth regularly for issues
• Establishing routines for brushing, flossing, and using oral rinses/moisturisers
• Providing hands-on oral care for patients who cannot do it themselves
• Cleaning and maintaining dentures properly
• Using suction devices to remove debris and secretions
• Positioning patients correctly for oral care
• Teaching patients and families about oral hygiene importance and techniques
• Working together with dental professionals for complete oral care

Regular oral hygiene care by nurses helps prevent infections, ensures comfort, and improves overall patient well-being.

What is the golden rule for oral hygiene?

The most important rule for keeping your teeth and gums healthy is to brush twice a day – after breakfast and before bed.

Maintaining good oral hygiene is crucial for healthy teeth and gums. Here are the key steps:

• Brushing your teeth for two minutes before going to bed at night
• Flossing daily
• Using toothpaste with fluoride
• Avoiding sugary foods and drinks that bacteria thrive on, causing tooth decay

Developing a routine of regular brushing and flossing helps remove plaque, fight germs, and keep your mouth fresh and healthy. Remember not to rinse after brushing to keep the fluoride protecting your teeth.

It’s beneficial to teach children about oral care early on to develop good habits. Leading dental experts like the British Dental Association recommend starting brushing as soon as a child’s first tooth appears, using fluoride toothpaste for babies.

How do you assist a patient with oral hygiene?

Here are the steps for helping a patient with oral hygiene:

• Get what you need: Soft toothbrush, fluoride toothpaste, emesis basin, towels, water, suction equipment.
• Explain what you’re going to do and make sure the patient is comfortable.
• Put on gloves and protective gear if necessary.
• Brush the patient’s teeth, tongue, and mouth gently using small circles.
• Use suction or have the patient rinse to clear away bits.
• Floss or use swabs to clean between teeth and gums.
• Apply moisturiser or mouthwash if needed.
• Help with cleaning and storing dentures, if they have them.
• Do mouth care every 4-8 hours and after eating.
• Write down what care you did and anything you noticed.

It’s important to be gentle, thorough, and make sure the patient feels okay the whole time you’re cleaning their mouth. Taking our face to face oral hygiene training or virtual oral care class can greatly give you good knowledge of what to do.

As I have told others... It is the best, most informative training I have ever attended