A Family Dentist in Kona needs to know when a patient has a health disorder that could affect how well he or she can sit still during treatments or even routine teeth cleaning. Some of these disorders also may have negative effects on how well the patient can manage daily oral hygiene tasks, and the dentist wants to know about this as well.
Someone with Parkinson’s disease, for instance, has problems with the motor function that can compromise the ability to brush and floss. They may have trouble gripping a toothbrush and a string of floss. Tremors and rigidity characterize this illness, and those aspects can make dental exams, treatments and professional teeth cleaning more difficult. They may have trouble swallowing, which increases the risk of choking during a dental procedure. The patients are also likely to have trouble sitting completely still in the dental chair since they commonly lack control over some movements, which is a side effect of Parkinson’s medication. For all these reasons, a Family Dentist in Kona must be informed ahead of the patient’s first appointment about the health problem and associated symptoms.
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis may sometimes have substantial hand pain. Treatments for this disorder have improved greatly over the years and provided a remarkable level of relief, but flareups can make it difficult for these individuals to brush and floss. They have trouble gripping toothbrushes and floss, although for a different reason than the Parkinson’s patient. Their grip may or may not be weakened, but gripping something may cause or aggravate hand pain.
Electric toothbrushes can be very helpful for all these individuals since those brushes do most of the work for the patient. Manual brushes with large handles also help, as do floss holders. Those gadgets allow the person to floss without having to grip a thin string.
A dentist such as Carter S. Yokoyama D.D.S. is ready to help patients with chronic health disorders that can affect their ability to practice good oral hygiene and may lead them to shy away from visiting a dental clinic. Visit the website for information about this practitioner.
