ORAL HYGIENE REDUCES RESPIRATORY-INFECTIONS IN ELDERLY BED-BOUND NURSING-HOME PATIENTS

In the elderly, aspiration is a common and serious problem. A procedur e to minimize respiratory infections caused by silent aspiration was c onducted on elderly bed-bound nursing home patients who suffered mainl y from cerebral infarction and dementia, Oral care was provided by a d entist and a dental hygienist once a day and the mouth cleansed with p ovidone iodine by nurses after each meal to restrict respiratory bacte rial infection caused by silent aspiration, In period I, neither group of patients received particular care. In period II, the A group was o rally cared for and the B group was not cared for. In period III, the A group was not cared for and B group was cared for, During oral treat ment for 6 months, febrile days did not improve but degradation of feb rile days were prevented by oral care in a limited number of patients, We suggest that oral care may be useful to some extent in elderly pat ients to prevent respiratory infections.