Poor mouthcare can be fatal

[Chad_KY_SRNA]

Dirty Teeth Can Kill You, U.S. Study Shows

Tue Nov 30, 2:13 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Germs found in dental plaque can make their way into the lungs and cause potentially fatal pneumonia in elderly nursing home patients, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.

Though the study was small, the researchers said they found clear evidence in eight patients who developed pneumonia while in the hospital that had originated from their own dental plaque.

"This is the first study to establish unequivocally a link between dental hygiene and respiratory infection," said Dr. Ali El-Solh of the University at Buffalo in New York, who led the study.

Writing in the latest issue of the journal Chest, El-Solh and colleagues said they tested 49 nursing home residents who were admitted to a nearby hospital with a high risk of pneumonia. They made molecular fingerprints of the bacteria found in each patient's mouth before he or she developed pneumonia.

Of the 49 patients, 28 had germs known to cause respiratory disease in their dental plaque samples and 21 did not.

The patients were watched closely for pneumonia. The researchers said 14 eventually developed pneumonia and 10 of them had started out with respiratory disease-causing germs in their teeth.

Tests of germs from the lungs showed the DNA matched the DNA of plaque germs in eight of the patients -- more than half.

"These findings indicate that dental plaque is a reservoir of respiratory pathogens that can cause pneumonia in hospitalized institutionalized elders," said El-Solh.

Nursing homes need to help patients maintain clean teeth and dentures, he added.

This puts a whole new emphasis on mouthcare.

[Mister Chris, MSN, NP]

WOW! And thank you. Yes there are so many people I have found in the nursing homes that have needed mouth care - not just the PEG and NGT feed ones. I also since seeing your post have looked over the list of lectures - in-service and external ones, and free and 'pay-as-you-earn' ones, and there are no mouth care lectures! They seem to cover everything from head lice to foot problems, diets and skincare, BUT NO MOUTH CARE!

I will get onto the lecturers and education deparment organizers and see if they will put on something real soon.

Thank you.

Mister Chris. :rotfl: :rotfl:

[jschut, BSN, RN]

My husband called me today to tell me about this.

Another reason to keep after CNA's who give excellent care otherwise, to pay more atention to mouth care!

[lovingtheunloved, ASN, RN]

I'm all about the mouth care. Unfortunately, I've seen so many CNAs who don't do it. I'll tell you one thing, my trainees do it!

[Antikigirl, ASN, RN]

It isn't just nasty germs in the mouth either...the natural flora can also harm people that are immunocomprimised, and the elderly whos immune systems are not as up to speed as it use to be. Diabetics also are at serious risk of infections that can go systemic from the mouth to wounds clear down in their legs (IE some reasons why those wounds just won't heal!).

In addition to respiratory infections..you have certain bacteria that are common in mouths that can spread to the valves of the heart and create plaques or simply eat away at the linings of the valves. We still don't know why these bacteria hit the valves specifically and not other parts of the heart itself, but that is enough to make you think...WOW, Brush your teeth!

Dental hygeine is just as important as all other hygeine, and I pay particular attention to make sure my residents are getting their dental care after meals and before bed (we just had an inservice on this last month by my request..it wasn't being done well). And we are fortuante enough to have a geriatric dentist that comes into the faclity 2x weekly (the facility actually planned for this when they built the facility and there is a dental office built in...too bad they didn't consider the NURSING aspect...we are all in one small roof access closet made up for maintance..uhggggg!!! What I call the two butt closet...can't fit more than two nurses in there!).

If each shift just does dental hygeine, it would be so benificial and actually...well less gross and gruling for everyone if done q shift!

[kesneysmom]

Thankyou for the information!! I have always been a stickler on oral care. I made it real clear to my CNA'S that mouth care and nail care are a huge deal to me. I would help my CNA'S with mouth care by using swabs/glycerin swabs on my late night med pass it was a routine for my patients and every sunday was "manicure day" instead of taking our full breaks and lunches we would clean and paint finger nails. Eventually some of the family members joined and we all made it into a big ta-do!!! The residents loved it.

[Aneroo, LPN]

I recently cared for a patient who had poor dental care. She managed to get an abcess, and it spread to cause cervical osteomyletisis (spaced out, probably spelled it wrong)!!! Anyways, it was gross. I went home, brushed my teeth. So many people do not realize how nasty one's mouth is. And I always make sure to change my toothbrush after a cold! -Andrea

[dizzejan]

ooohh!!! my pet peeve!!!! my cna's know the sure fire way to get me on my soapbox is to look at my folks' mouth and see any creepy , icky, thingy's..i then have an unscheduled in service ..gotta do it every now and again with a new class of trainee's too!!.