5003V - What’s in That Mouth? An Evidence-Based Guide to Oral Hygiene for Better Dysphagia Management

Have you ever looked in a patient’s mouth and felt uncertain about what you were seeing? What does tooth decay look like? Is thrush a risk factor for aspiration pneumonia? What exactly is black hairy tongue? SLPs frequently comment on patients’ oral hygiene and are tasked with making recommendations for management approaches in context of aspiration risk, even though we don’t receive any formal training in these areas. From candida to the great chlorhexidine debate, this presentation will delve into commonly encountered oral hygiene conditions and provide a visually robust guide to evidence-based assessment and management approaches. It will include options for validated and standardized tools for non-dental professionals with contributions from and peer review by a DDS.