A new study has shown that daily brushing of teeth among hospitalised patients lowers the rate of hospital-acquired pneumonia.
Researchers also found out that toothbrushing is associated with lower rates of ICU mortality, shorter duration of mechanical ventilation and shorter ICU length of stay.
According to the Newswise website, researchers noted that brushing is a cheap but effective way to lower rate of hospital-acquired pneumonia.
Michael Klompas, an epidemiologist said the signal they saw towards lower mortality is striking. It suggests that regular toothbrushing in the hospital may save lives.
He is also an infectious disease physician in the Department of Medicine at BWH and Professor of Population Medicine at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute.
“It’s rare in the world of hospital preventative medicine to find something like this that is both effective and cheap. Instead of a new device or drug, our study indicates that something as simple as brushing of teeth can make a big difference,” Klompas said.
The study by investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, examined whether daily toothbrushing among hospitalised patients is associated with lower rates of hospital-acquired pneumonia and other outcomes.
The team combined the results of 15 randomised clinical trials that included more than 2,700 patients and found that hospital-acquired pneumonia rates were lower among patients who received daily toothbrushing compared to those who did not.
The results were especially compelling among patients on mechanical ventilation.
The study was published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Klompas explained that hospital-acquired pneumonia occurs when bacteria in the mouth enter a patient’s airways and infects their lungs.
Patients experiencing frailty or patients with a weakened immune system are particularly susceptible to developing hospital-acquired pneumonia during their stay in hospital.
However, adopting a daily toothbrushing regimen can decrease the amount of bacteria in the mouth, potentially lowering the risk of hospital-acquired pneumonia.
The team conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the association between daily toothbrushing and hospital-acquired pneumonia.
Using a variety of databases, the researchers collected and analysed randomised clinical trials from around the world. The data compared the effect of regular oral care with toothbrushing versus oral care without toothbrushing on the occurrence of hospital-acquired pneumonia and other outcomes.
The team’s analysis found that daily toothbrushing was associated with a significantly lower risk for hospital-acquired pneumonia and ICU mortality.
In addition, the investigators identified that toothbrushing for patients in the ICU was associated with fewer days of mechanical ventilation and a shorter length of stay in the ICU.
“The findings from our study emphasise the importance of implementing an oral health routine that includes toothbrushing for hospitalised patients," Klompas said.
"Our hope is that our study will help catalyse policies and programmes to assure that hospitalised patients regularly brush their teeth. If a patient cannot perform the task themselves, we recommend a member of the patient’s care team assist,” the researcher said.