How do I do mouth care for someone who is dying?
Mouth care can ease dryness and keep a dying person comfortable when they are eating and drinking very little.
Mouth care can ease dryness and keep a dying person comfortable when they are eating and drinking very little. It may help even if the person is unconscious or cannot speak.
Ask the palliative care team, nurse or aged care staff to show you what is safe for that person. Swallowing, choking risk, dentures, mouth ulcers and medicines can all affect the best approach.
General information: This page gives general information for people in Australia. It cannot tell you exactly what is happening in one person's situation. If you have concerns about a symptom, medicine, treatment decision or change in someone's condition, contact their doctor, palliative care team, nurse or other treating health professional.
Why the mouth gets dry
Near death, people often eat and drink much less. They may breathe through their mouth, sleep with their mouth open, swallow less often, or be too weak to clear saliva. Some medicines can also dry the mouth.
A dry mouth can cause cracked lips, a coated tongue, bad taste, thick saliva and discomfort. Mouth care is one of the simplest ways families can help.
What you may need
The team may suggest:
- a soft toothbrush
- mouth swabs
- water or another advised fluid for moistening
- lip balm
- a small torch
- a bowl or towel
- denture care items if the person wears dentures.
Use only products recommended for that person. Avoid strong mouthwashes unless advised, as they can sting or dry the mouth further.
A gentle way to do it
Wash your hands. Explain what you are going to do, even if the person cannot answer.
Help them sit slightly upright or turn a little to the side if advised. Moisten the lips first. Gently clean inside the cheeks, gums, tongue and teeth with a soft toothbrush or swab as shown by the nurse.
Use small amounts of fluid. Do not pour water into the mouth. If the person coughs, chokes, becomes wet-sounding, or cannot swallow, stop and ask for advice.
Apply a small amount of lip balm if suitable. Repeat mouth care as often as the plan suggests, or when the mouth looks dry.
Dentures
Ask whether dentures should stay in or be removed. Dentures can help the face keep its shape and may help speech, but they can become loose, uncomfortable or unsafe if the person is very sleepy.
If dentures are removed, clean and store them safely.
When mouth care is hard
Do not force the mouth open. Do not put your fingers between the teeth if the person may bite down. If the person turns away, grimaces, coughs or becomes distressed, pause.
Tell the care team if there are ulcers, bleeding, white patches, thick secretions, pain, bad smell, loose dentures or trouble swallowing. These may need treatment.
When to get help now
Contact the team urgently if the person is choking, cannot clear fluid, has bleeding from the mouth, severe mouth pain, sudden swelling, or breathing distress.
Call 000 if choking or breathing difficulty is sudden and life-threatening and there is no end-of-life plan telling you what to do.
You may also want to read
- What can I use for a very dry mouth at the end of life?
- Can I give water to someone who is having trouble swallowing?
- Why does a dying person's mouth stay open?
- They've stopped eating and drinking. Are we starving or dehydrating them?