Effect of improved oral care on oral health and incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia in patients with mechanical ventilation

Abstract

Objective To investigate the effect of improved oral care on oral health, incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia and weaning from mechanical ventilation. Methods Eighty-eight patients receiving mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit (ICU) of our department between January, 2017 and January, 2019 were enrolled in this study. The patients were randomized equally into control group and observation group to receive conventional oral care (using mouth wash) and improved oral care (brushing teeth with hydrogen peroxide and oral rinsing with saline and pressure suction), respectively. Oral health, positive rates of pathogenic microorganisms in the respiratory tract and the ventilator, the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia and the length of ICU time were compared between the 2 groups. Results Compared with those in the control group, the patients in the observation group had better oral condition and lower incidences of halitosis, gingival swelling and pain, and oral ulcer (P < 0.05) and also lower detection rates of pathogenic microorganisms. The incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia was significantly lower and the ICU time was significantly shorter in the observation group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion Compared with conventional oral care, the improved oral care achieves better oral cleanliness to effectively reduce the risk of oral problems and the incidence of ventilator-associated infection and shorten the ICU time of the patients with mechanical ventilation.

Keywords

• oral care
• improved oral care
• ventilator-associated pneumonia
• hydrogen peroxide
• pressure suction