CNA Skill: Mouth Care (Brushing Teeth) | Step-by-Step Guide for the Florida Exam

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The mouth care skill tests your ability to provide oral hygiene to a resident who has natural teeth and cannot perform their own mouth care. The resident will be lying in bed, and you'll need to brush their teeth safely while maintaining proper infection control and protecting their clothing and bedding.

Equipment and Supplies Needed

• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Cup of water
• Emesis basin (kidney basin)
• Towel
• Gloves
• Paper towels

Step-by-Step Procedure

Below are the criteria checklist checkpoints for Mouth Care (Brushing Teeth) on the Florida CNA clinical skills exam, the same checkpoints the evaluators score. Checkpoints marked (IC) are the universal indirect care checkpoints, which are scored on every skill.

1. Greet resident, address by name, and introduce self? (IC)
2. Provide explanations to resident about care before beginning and during care? (IC)
3. Assist resident to sitting position in bed by raising HOB and using pillows as needed to position resident upright at 60° to 90° before offering fluid or brushing teeth?
4. Protect resident's clothing before providing mouth care and remove protective cover when care completed?
5. Moisten toothbrush with water and apply toothpaste before brushing teeth?
6. Wear gloves when brushing resident's teeth and wear throughout mouth care including when rinsing basin and toothbrush?
7. Brush sides and biting surfaces of teeth and the gum line with a gentle motion?
8. Offer resident cup of water to rinse mouth after brushing?
9. Provide resident an emesis basin or disposable cup to use for spitting as needed, such as after rinsing mouth?
10. Leave area around resident's mouth clean and dry when care completed?
11. Complete skill having rinsed, dried and stored basin, placing soiled linens in hamper, disposing of trash, and leaving overbed table dry?
12. Ask resident about preferences during care? (IC)
13. Use Standard Precautions and infection control measures when providing care? (IC)
14. Ask resident about comfort or needs during care or before care completed? (IC)
15. Promote resident's rights during care? (IC)
16. Promote resident's safety during care? (IC)

Common Mistakes on the Prometric Test

Based on our experience preparing thousands of students for Florida's CNA state exam, here are the most common mistakes candidates make on this skill:

• Skipping the upright position: The resident must be in an upright sitting position before you offer any fluid or start brushing. This protects against aspiration.
• Not brushing all scored surfaces: The checklist scores brushing the sides and biting surfaces of the teeth and the gum line with a gentle motion.
• Cross-contamination: Mixing dirty and clean items on the tray table, or not using a barrier when storing the toothbrush.

Test Day Tips for Mouth Care (Brushing Teeth)

• Set up your tray table with clean items on one side and plan where dirty items will go.
• Narrate your actions quietly to yourself as you go: it helps you remember each checkpoint under pressure.
• Practice the cleanup sequence: it has multiple steps that are easy to forget under pressure.
• In a real facility the toothbrush and cup are the resident's personal property; they are washed, dried, wrapped, and stored in the resident's unit. On the exam the supplies are disposable, but keep the same clean-versus-dirty separation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the brushing pattern for the CNA mouth care skill?

Brush the sides and the biting surfaces of both the upper and lower teeth, plus the gum line, using a gentle motion. A systematic pattern helps ensure no scored area is missed.

Do I need to brush the resident's tongue on the CNA exam?

Brushing the tongue is good oral-care practice, but it is not one of the scored checkpoints; the checklist scores brushing the sides and biting surfaces of the teeth and the gum line. Focus on the scored checkpoints first.

Master This Skill with Video Demonstrations

Reading the steps is a great start, but watching the skill performed correctly makes a huge difference on test day. Our online CNA course includes:

• HD video demonstration of Mouth Care (Brushing Teeth) performed exactly as Prometric expects
• Detailed narration explaining each checkpoint the evaluator looks for
• Practice scenarios and tips from experienced CNA instructors
• All 22 clinical skills plus written exam preparation

Start with a free course preview. See the quality of our video instruction before you commit.

All 22 CNA Clinical Skills

See the full CNA clinical skills guide, or jump to any skill: Handwashing · Hand and Nail Care · Denture Care · Feeding a Resident · Taking a Pulse · Measuring Respirations · Changing an Occupied Bed · Dressing with One-Sided Weakness · Female Catheter Care · Bedpan Assistance · Emptying Urinary Drainage Bag · Female Perineal Care · Range of Motion (Lower Body) · Range of Motion (Elbow and Wrist) · Range of Motion (Shoulder) · Partial Bed Bath · Change of Position · Wheelchair Transfer · Foot Care · Ambulation with Gait Belt · Indirect Care.