Better oral health care to benefit hospital in-patients

IN-PATIENTS receiving care at a local hospital will benefit from improved oral health care, to help aid recovery and reduce their length of stay in hospital.

At a partnership event held recently in support of National Smile Month, staff at NHS Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust (ICFT) were given information, advice and resources by Be Well Tameside’s Oral Health team and the ICFT’s Safer Care Team, to improve in-patients’ oral health.

Oral health is an important part of general health and wellbeing.  It allows people to eat, speak and socialise without discomfort or embarrassment.

All in-patients will now benefit from access to suitable oral hygiene products, as well as denture marking kits to be used on hospital wards to minimise the risk of patients’ dentures being lost.

Raising awareness of better oral health care amongst hospital staff is important – it is the gateway to a patient’s body.  Patients need a functioning mouth to eat, speak, and smile.

Lynn Callaghan, Specialist Oral Health Co-ordinator at Be Well Tameside, said: “Better oral care helps patients to stay well-nourished and hydrated aiding their recovery and reduces their length of stay in hospital.”

Tameside Council’s Director of Population Health, Debbie Watson, said: “This is great news.  Many congratulations to the teams involved in helping hospital in-patients maintain a good standard of oral hygiene.  This will support those who are admitted to hospital unexpectedly to access their own toothbrush and toothpaste.   Losing your dentures can have impact on wellbeing, self-respect and dignity. Without them it’s difficult to talk, eat properly, or smile – all basic things that severely impact on quality of life, health and recovery. "