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Professional Oral Care and Staff Education in Critically Ill Patients
Sponsor: Semmelweis University
Summary
This study evaluated oral health in critically ill patients admitted to two intensive care units in Budapest, Hungary, and examined whether professional oral care and education of intensive care staff could improve oral hygiene. A total of 161 adult patients were included. Dentate patients in the first phase were randomly assigned to receive either professional oral care provided by dentists or standard oral care provided by ICU nursing staff. Total edentulous patients were included in a separate group. After a structured oral care education programme was provided to ICU staff, subsequently enrolled patients were included in a separate post-education group. Oral hygiene and gingival inflammation were assessed repeatedly during the ICU stay.
Official title: Professional Oral Care and Staff Education to Improve Oral Hygiene in Critically Ill Patients: A Prospective Controlled Clinical Study
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
161
Start Date
2023-06-15
Completion Date
2025-09-09
Last Updated
2026-09-21
Healthy Volunteers
No
Interventions
Professional Oral Care
Professional oral care was provided by calibrated dentists three times weekly using a rotary-oscillatory electric toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. Cleaning included the occlusal, buccal, and lingual tooth surfaces, followed by oral rinsing with sterile water.
Standard Oral Care
Standard oral care was provided by ICU nursing staff twice daily according to local clinical practice. At the Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Hospital ICU, care consisted of toothbrushing or oral swabbing with a non-chlorhexidine antiseptic solution. At the Trauma Center ICU, care consisted of chlorhexidine mouth rinsing combined with toothbrushing.
ICU Staff Oral Care Education
A structured educational programme was provided to ICU physicians and nurses. The programme addressed oral hygiene, current recommendations for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia, and the recommended oral care protocol, including toothbrushing with toothpaste and oral rinsing. Patients enrolled after completion of the education programme constituted the post-education (upskill) group.
Locations (2)
Dr. Manninger Jenő National Trauma Center
Budapest, Hungary
Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Hospital
Budapest, Hungary