The Power of Daily Toothbrushing: Preventing Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 15 randomized clinical trials involving 2,786 patients found that daily toothbrushing among hospitalized patients, particularly those receiving invasive mechanical ventilation, was associated with lower rates of hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), shorter duration of mechanical ventilation, shorter ICU length of stay, and lower ICU mortality. However, there were no significant differences in hospital length of stay or use of antibiotics. These findings suggest that implementing programs and policies to encourage daily toothbrushing may help prevent HAP and improve patient outcomes.