Quote:
Originally posted by lrd
Surgicalcric and Sacamuelas,
- Bite stick (tongue depressor with tape or a commercial model) to prevent breaking teeth or biting tongue
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That is a great list... However, there is one thing in there that is wrong, IMO.
You are MUCH more likely to break teeth with a tongue depressor or ANYTHING in your mouth during a seizure than with an empty mouth. This is due to the physics of the bite mechanism. With an empty mouth, all 32 (28 for most of us) teeth take some of the force with the 12 anterior teeth (front six upper/lower teeth)getting less force than the back molars due to the further distance away from the fulcrum(jaw joint(TMJ)). This is natural and protects the teeth from damaging forces. The forces are distributed vertically which is how mother nature designed our choppers to take forces.
However, when you place an item into the mouth, ALL the force of the bite will be placed only on the teeth that are contacted by the object. This does two things, it usually places a very unhealthy amount of force on the ANTERIOR teeth ( likely where the stick is going to be placed in a seizing patient) by causing 12 teeth to take the force normally applied to 32 and also causes lateral and awkward angular forces onto the teeth instead of the easier to withstand vertical force.
The tongue depressor wrapped in tape MAY help a tongue from being chewed
IF you can get it into the patients mouth during a seizure, but I personally don't recomment putting an object into a patients mouth. The patients I have had that seized required protection from injuring themselves (body motion), support, and every once in a while a injection of meds to stop the activity. I have never placed intraoral bite appliances.
This is not to say Crip is wrong, (well, okay it is but I am being nice after my butt kicking on here lately! haha) just a differing professional opinion.
