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Brushing Teeth Appears to Protect Against Pneumonia, Study Finds (www.sciencealert.com)

submitted 11 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Keeping teeth squeaky clean can spare people from contracting pneumonia in hospital, a new analysis of more than 2,700 patients has found, with fewer cases of the common lung infection linked to daily toothbrushing.

Selina Ehrenzeller and Michael Klompas, two epidemiologists specializing in infectious disease at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, pooled data from 15 clinical trials where people either brushed their teeth multiple times daily, or washed their mouths out with antiseptic mouthwash, swabs, or saline.

While the logic of good oral hygiene seems pretty clear – cleaning your pearly whites could stop bacteria or other pathogens sneaking down the throat to cause lung infections such as pneumonia – the evidence has so far been a bit conflicting, especially for patients in hospital who who cannot brush their teeth unassisted.

Ehrenzeller and Klompas sought to clear that up, analyzing data on 2,786 patients involved in one of 15 clinical trials and finding that hospital-acquired pneumonia rates were lower among patients randomized to daily toothbrushing, twice or more a day.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago

My hospital does give out toiletries. In fact, as nurses and the nurse aides, we are required to make sure they brush their teeth and give mouthwash to our patients after every meal of the day to prevent pneumonia and we're supposed to document if they refuse. Showering is a little more difficult as it depends on their mobility, if they're on a heart monitor and the available staff to help. Nurse aides will help with in bed body washes when necessary, but showers are not always feasible.