Oral Hygiene
As facial muscles weaken, it becomes harder to maintain good oral hygiene. We found the simple act of brushing Jeff's teeth became difficult. As Jeff struggled with swallowing, he had a hard time dealing with the excess fluid in his mouth during the time we brushed his teeth. We found a great solution in the Plak-Vac Oral Evacuator Brush, which is used with the suction machine.
Oral Hygiene: Suction Machine
| Problem |
Probable Cause |
Remedy |
| A. Unit does not operate. |
1. Poor ventilation.
2. Inoperative cooling fan. |
1. Check plug at wall outlet.
2. Check home circuit breaker or fuse.
3. Allow 10-15 minutes for internal circuit breaker to reset. |
| A. Unit does not operate. |
1. Plug not firmly in wall outlet.
2. No power to unit.
3. thermal load protector stopped motor. |
1. Check plug at wall outlet.
2. Check home circuit breaker or fuse.
3. Allow 10-15 minutes for internal circuit breaker to reset. |
| B. Limited outlet flow. |
1. Delivery line obstruction.
2. Canister full.
3. Leak
4. Blocked aspirator inline filter.
5. Crack in canister. |
1. Check delivery tubing to outlet for obstructions or kinks. Replace if necessary.
2. Empty canister.
3. Check outlet fitting and connections.
4. Replace inline filter part.
5. Change canisters. |
| C. Overheating. |
1. Poor ventilation.
2. Inoperative cooling fan. |
1. Move unit to a cooler, better ventilated area.
2. Replace fan- consult your dealer for service. |
| If your suction machine fails to function properly, consult this troubleshooting guide. If the problem persists or cannot be corrected, consult your authorized dealer, respiratory or home health company who supplied the equipment to you. |
The way the Plak-Vac Brush works is like a suction yankaur. It attaches to the end of suction tubing and has toothbrush bristles at the other end. The company recommends non-foaming toothpaste (we used regular toothpaste in very small amounts). You dip the toothbrush end of the Plak-Vac Brush into liquid (water, mouthwash, etc.), then brush normally, place figure over the control port as brush is placed in PALS mouth and this evacuates any excess fluid.
The Plak-Vac Oral Evacuator Brush is available from Trademark Medical and costs about $6.00, (3 for $16.50). You can order on-line through their website: either www.trademarkmedical.com or call 1-800-325-9041.
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