This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Association between daily toothbrushing and hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP)

Authoring team

A review of 15 RCTs (n=10,742) found toothbrushing was associated with a significantly lower risk of hospital acquired pneumonia (HR 0.67, 95%CI 0.56-0.81), ICU (intensive care unit) mortality (0.81, 0.69-0.95), & reduction in mechanical ventilation (-1.24 days, -2.42 to -0.06 days) vs no toothbrushing (1):

  • findings suggest that daily toothbrushing may be associated with lower rates of pneumonia and ICU mortality, particularly among patients undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation; programs and policies to encourage daily toothbrushing are warranted

A related commentary notes extensive data from epidemiological, microbiological, and molecular studies have established a link between the oral microbiome, oral health, dental plaques, and periodontal disease and the development of pneumonia (2)

  • therefore, rigorous oral care is recommended to prevent hospital acquired pneumonia
  • suggests this study provides an important contribution to infection prevention and reinforces the notion that routine toothbrushing is an essential component of standard of care in ventilated patients
  • notes that there is still uncertainty regarding non-ventilated patients, as the results were not statistically significant in that subgroup

Reference:

  • Ehrenzeller S, Klompas M. Association Between Daily Toothbrushing and Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA Intern Med. Published online December 18, 2023. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2023.6638
  • Datta R. Daily Toothbrushing to Prevent Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia - Brushing Away the Risk. JAMA Intern Med. Published online December 18, 2023. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2023.6807

Create an account to add page annotations

Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.