According to the latest review of evidence, if a person is in a hospital's intensive care unit (ICU), their toothbrush could really be a lifesaver.
Writing in the Dec. 18 issue of the journal Internal Medicine, researchers report that regular brushing is associated with lower mortality in the intensive care unit (ICU), shorter hospital stays, and shorter stays on mechanical ventilators.
That's because daily brushing appears to protect hospitalized patients from the onset of pneumonia, researchers say.
The sign that we're seeing a reduction in mortality is striking — it shows that regular brushing of your teeth during your hospital stay can save lives," said Dr. Michael Klompas, an infectious disease physician and hospital epidemiologist in the Department of Internal Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
In the field of preventive medicine in hospitals, it is rare to find something that is both effective and cheap," Klompas added in a press release from the hospital. "Our research shows that something as simple as brushing your teeth can make a huge difference, rather than relying on new devices or medications. ”
For the study, Klompas and his colleagues synthesized the results of 15 clinical trials involving more than 2,700 patients.
They found that patients who brushed their teeth daily had a lower incidence of pneumonia, especially those who received mechanical ventilation**.
Brushing teeth can also reduce the risk of dying in the intensive care unit and shorten the amount of time a patient needs intensive care.
Researchers say pneumonia is caused by bacteria in the mouth being inhaled into the patient's respiratory tract and infecting the lungs. During hospitalization, the risk of developing pneumonia is especially high in patients who are physically weak or who have a compromised immune system.
Researchers say that a daily brushing routine can reduce the number of bacteria in the mouth, which can reduce the risk of pneumonia.
Most of the studies in the review focused on mechanically ventilated patients in the ICU, but the researchers believe that the protective effects of tooth brushing should be extended to other hospitalised patients.
Our findings suggest that it is important to implement an oral hygiene routine that includes tooth brushing for inpatients," Kramers said. "We hope our research will help drive policies and programs to ensure that inpatients brush their teeth regularly. If the patient is unable to complete this task on their own, we recommend that a member of the patient's care team assist them. ”
More information. The Mayo Clinic has more information about pneumonia.
*: Brigham and Women's Hospital, press release, 18 December 2023.
Copyright 2023 Healthday. All rights reserved.