Being obese comes with a number of health risks, including issues with the teeth. On top of being at risk for dental issues, it can be difficult for people who are of large size to go to the dentist. If you are the caregiver for a person who is obese and has limited mobility, it will take more planning to take your patient to the dentist. Here are some steps to setting up dental services for those who are morbidly obese and have mobility issues, but need to go to the dentist's office.
Find a dentist with removable chairs
If the patient is too large to fit inside of dental chairs for an exam, you will need to be able to find a dentist who can work around the patient's medical bed. This is easier for everyone, as it means no one has to lift your patient in and out of the dental chair itself. Ask dentists if they can remove the chair from their examination room and will be able to fit your patient's hospital gurney in the room instead. Once you find a dentist who can make this request, set this appointment up for the very beginning of the day or as the very last appointment, so that there is no one else in the office when you and your patient need to get through.
Arrange medical transport
When you move a person who is morbidly obese and has limited mobility, it is always prudent to use medical transport. Alert medical transport vans that you will need to take your patient to the dentist's office so that they can be there on the day to help you. It will often take a team of several people to help move someone who is several hundred pounds and immobile, so they will need to know the weight of your patient. Those who have limited mobility can experience stress that causes health issues during transport, so it is best to make sure a medical team is along for the ride with you and your patient.
Get all necessary treatments in one day
If possible, ask the dentist if the dental cleaning, cavities, and root canals can be done on the same visit. Taking care of these issues in one visit means that there will be less stress for you and your patient needing to plan a trip back to the dentist's office. Taking care of all dental erosion issues can also help to increase the health of your patient so that they can get on track with weight loss.
Visit a website like http://northwestdental.com/ to learn more.
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