When you’re in the hospital with a serious health condition, brushing your teeth might seem like the last thing you need to worry about. But not taking care of your teeth during a hospital stay can actually make recovery more difficult.
It’s a connection many patients don’t know about, which is why the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation worked with Valleywise Health to keep oral health part of the conversation.
About Valleywise Health
Valleywise Health cares for some of Arizona’s most vulnerable communities. Many of their patients often have limited options in finding healthcare.
But dental care and medical care don’t always connect, especially when someone is in the hospital. Patients might brush their teeth when staff remind them, but without supplies or reinforcement, it’s easy to forget.
From a Simple Ask to Everyday Practice
Valleywise staff started making it a priority to ask patients to brush their teeth twice a day as part of their care. A simple request, but in a busy hospital, even small tasks can get overlooked. The goal was clear: reduce oral bacteria so patients’ bodies could focus on healing.
Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation donated 10,000 toothbrushes to help get this program started. Having supplies readily available gave nurses a practical way to support patients and make brushing a consistent part of care, instead of something that might be skipped.
Why This Approach Works
What makes this initiative different is that toothbrushing is part of the patient’s medical care. Hospital patients are already working with a care team, so it’s easy to incorporate toothbrushing into the patient’s daily routine. When medical providers tell patients to brush their teeth, that makes oral care more of a priority.
Building Healthier Communities
The Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation funds programs that help people understand the connection between oral health and overall health. The link is real—not taking care of your teeth has been connected to heart disease, diabetes complications and infections. When patients understand how taking care of their teeth affects the rest of their body, they’re more likely to make it a priority.
Improving oral health outcomes for all Arizonans doesn’t always look like a big event. Sometimes it’s a nurse asking a patient to brush their teeth today. Done day after day, one patient at a time, those small actions are what help create healthier outcomes in our community.
To learn more about our Foundation and some of the organizations we support, check out these other articles:
- A.T. Still University Sealant Program
- Get to Know the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation
- Improving Overall Health in Children Through Dental-Medical Integration
Or, to read more about how we impact the community, visit us online at deltadentalaz.com/foundation.
