Joana Morais Ribeiro

Oral health has a significant impact on the quality of life of dependent individuals. This course aims to train caregivers to understand the functional importance of the mouth, providing a solid foundation in anatomy, recognizing the main risks of oral pathologies, and mastering effective hygiene techniques.

The theoretical and practical program includes:

• Introduction to oral health, highlighting its importance for quality of life;
• Basic oral anatomy and changes in the elderly;
• Mouth opening and inspection, methods for opening the mouth and visually inspecting the oral cavity, exploring teeth, gums, tongue, and mucous membranes;
• Identification of the main risks of oral pathologies in dependents, understanding the appropriate situations to refer any lesions and guidelines on the procedures to adopt;
• Oral hygiene techniques, including brushing, use of dental floss, interdental brushes, and other complementary means, as well as tongue cleaning;
• Approach to people with cognitive or motor disabilities, mild or severe, and dependents who resist hygiene;
• Simulations of oral hygiene in dependent people, emphasizing safety and comfort.

Additionally, this course addresses the issue of ageism, highlighting how biases and discrimination based on age can negatively impact the oral health care of the elderly.

This course provides caregivers with the necessary skills to improve the oral health of those under their care, promoting better quality of life and preventing oral complications.