GUM Flossers and Brushes Brighten ‘Senior’ Smiles

For Sonya Dunbar, a TEDx and international speaker, U.S. Navy veteran, PhD candidate, successful business owner, and a registered dental hygienist with over 3 decades of experience, the seeds of her success were first planted as a newly licensed RDH who dearly loved her grandmother. As a frequent visitor to her grandmother’s longterm care residence, Dunbar quickly noticed a troubling trend—just as residents' need for oral care was increasing with age, their access to it was decreasing. Aware of the proven connection between a regular, effective oral hygiene regimen and good overall health, Dunbar was struck with overwhelming concern. What to do? After all, convincing patients about the importance of effective oral hygiene has always had its challenges. But factoring in those who are advanced in age, likely managing a string of comorbidities, and may even have signs of dementia, surely results in multiple obstacles.

Taking Hygiene Care on the Road

Dunbar, who is internationally known as the Geriatric Tooth Fairy and CEO of Mobile Dental Xpress, noticed hygiene supplies were severely lacking in the nursing home where her grandmother resided. Knowing that many elderly patients have difficulty administering their own oral care, limited access to caregivers who can offer care, or who are victims of understaffed working environments, Dunbar brought in her own supplies and tools, and began caring for her grandmother and other residents free of charge. Within a short period of time, she took her concerns and channeled them into courage, steadfastly building a mobile oral care business for this growing segment of the country’s population. Today, Mobile Dental Xpress is a unique hygienic treatment on wheels that travels across 4 states and offers oral care to hundreds of long-term residents.

“The grayer our hair gets, the more invisible we become,” said Dunbar, alluding to an elderly population that’s no longer able to fully communicate or care for themselves. Blending more than 30 years of her own RDH experience with solid scientific evidence, Dunbar enjoys taking her hygiene practice on the road, and she relies on a trio of GUM tools to do it.

GUM PROFESSIONAL CLEAN FLOSS PICKS

Her first choice is the GUM Professional Clean Floss Picks, a strong, convenient tool that features mint-flavored dental floss and holds up against even the tightest interdental spaces without shredding. The handle—now available in a patent-pending waffle design—provides good control and reach, while a fine-tipped dental pick on the opposite end is perfect for removing plaque and food particles.

“I love this product because it has a good taste,” shared Dunbar. “Caregivers are in a hurry, so some of them are not always proficient in flossing their residents. If they can’t or don’t want to use the mint floss part, they can just use the bottom part and pick between the teeth.”

GUM SOFT-PICKS COMFORT FLEX

Next up is the GUM Soft-Picks Comfort Flex, a convenient tool with a flex zone on the neck that improves maneuverability. Featuring a soft rubber grip handle for comfort and control, the picks have a pleasant mint flavor and include ultrasoft, rubber bristles that gently and effectively slide between teeth to remove plaque and food particles* for cleaner teeth and healthier gums, even in hard-to-reach areas of the mouth.

“These are amazing!” said Dunbar. “It’s vital to be able to clean between every tooth, especially with older adults who are on multiple medications that tend to reduce saliva flow, dry out the mouth, and prevent food from being naturally washed away. These picks go in between the contacts and get the plaque and food particles out. They’re easy for patients and caregivers to use, even if patients have dexterity issues or arthritis, and they won’t hurt because they’re soft.”

GUM TECHNIQUE DEEP CLEAN TOOTHBRUSH

A third go-to in Dunbar’s toolbox is the GUM Technique Deep Clean Toothbrush, a hygiene tool that she calls a “game changer” in oral care. With soft, fine tapered bristles, the brush offers a deeper, more effective cleaning and can reach over 400% deeper into hard-to-access areas below the gumline and between the teeth when compared to normal, flat trim toothbrushes.** The brush features a compact head size along with a contoured design of the Quad-Grip handle, allowing the brush to be correctly held for a perfect brushing technique.

“I love this brush because its fine, tapered bristles provide a deeper, more effective cleaning, and the handle is easy to grip,” shared Dunbar. “It’s especially helpful for my elderly ladies who have small mouths, because the head is compact and it goes deeper in between teeth and into the pockets of those hard-to-reach areas. Plus, it feels good to the patient!”

Critical Role of Caregivers

And for those elderly patients with dementia or who are unable to complete their own oral hygiene, Dunbar turns her attention to the caregivers, offering incentives for taking the extra steps to care for their patients’ oral health.

“I place oral care kits in each patient’s room, and we run contests to see which hall has the best oral care, treating the winning caregivers to a pizza or tacos for lunch. We cannot forget the caregivers because they are the ones who are either going to encourage the patients to do their own oral care or are going to do it for them. We make sure to reward the staff!”

Dunbar sees the positive effects of effective oral care firsthand—and for many elderly patients, it can be aptly described as lifechanging. “Once patients feel good about smiling again, I’ve seen them actually change their behavior—even getting involved in Bingo and other activities."

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