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(((((((windy))))) It doesn't stop does it?

Leaving the rotten teeth in her head will likely lead to infection/abscess sooner or later. They are pretty traumatic too. I like what the AL nurse said. Go with the minimum necessary. I think she is in for trauma one way of another, eventually, Maybe better to get it out of the way so she doesn't have further problems in that area as she declines. Tough decisions.
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If she gets an abscess there is not enough left of any teeth to do a root canal. So that could be a one time extraction process I suppose.

Mom still has her front teeth, upper and lower. Dentist says these gotta go too. I cannot even imagine her shock at waking up with no teeth. She may have advancing dementia but she still has some vanity. I think she’d rather be dead. She has a DNR that is very clear....I DONT WANT NO NOTHING NO WAY NO HOW!
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Sh**, I lost my post!!Windy, my mom's dentist told us he had seen many people in long term care whose teeth rotted off causing problems, some had even aspirated them. Ask to limit anything they do to the simplest and least invasive option possible, despite being referred to an oral surgeon we were able to have mom's teeth pulled with just local freezing (but she didn't have dementia so was able to cooperate). I don't think I would get dentures for your mom though, I really doubt she would be able to adapt to them.

(Mom was in her 90's at the time and although her mind was sound she was already physically in failing health, I was terrified at having her put under and so grateful to find a dentist experienced in working with frail elders)
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My mother had all her bottom teeth removed at about age 84-85. She had neglected her teeth for years. She herself opted to have them removed and all went well.
She did not pursue dentures as shortly after this she had the fall thatbroke her femur and she went downhill from there.
I would look into having the teeth removed due to the chance of infection specifically endocarditis (leaflets of the heart valves get infected) which would be most likely fatal or cause a systemic infection. 
I’m with you on this due to my own trepidation when my mom did it. Just know that by some miracle my mother made it through the extractions. I would not pursue root canals - that’s too much.
I feel for you. I hope all works out. It may be easier for the teeth to be extracted due to the decay.
Good luck!
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My first response is EEK, no way. That is way too much stress and trauma to put an 87 year old through who also has AD. Can the dentist just fix the one tooth she's complaining about and keep it at that? I assume it would take 3-4 painful visits over the course of one year to complete the process of pulling/replacing the teeth. I worry your mother would not adapt well to the interim conditions and the stress of that would be worse than treating a tooth "IF" indeed one does become absessed. Also, he's talking about risks that may not ever become reality. He doesn't have a crystal ball. I would choose to treat only the one tooth now - and have my mom treated for any others when and IF they become a problem.
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I don't know what to tell you, but I know bad teeth can be a huge problem. My MIL put off going to a dentist until she had very bad jaw pain. When we finally got her to an oral surgeon to pull the bad teeth, it turned out she had a broken jaw that had not shown up on x-rays. The oral surgeon said it was probably the result of a tooth root infection.
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