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Journal of Dental Research
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Clinical

Professional Oral Health Care Reduces the Number of Oropharyngeal Bacteria

A. Ishikawa1,*, T. Yoneyama2, K. Hirota3, Y. Miyake3 and K. Miyatake4

1 Hamamatsu-city Oral Health and Care Center, 2-11-2 Kamoe, Naka-ku, Hamamatsu 432-8550, Japan;
2 Department of Advanced Prosthodontics, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan;
3 Department of Microbiology, Institute of Health Biosciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima 770-8504, Japan; and
4 School of Nursing and Rehabilitation Sciences, Showa University, Tokaichiba-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8555, Japan

Correspondence: * corresponding author, kouku{at}city.hamamatsu.shizuoka.jp

Silent aspiration of oropharyngeal pathogenic organisms is a significant risk factor causing pneumonia in the elderly. We hypothesized that regular oral hygiene care will affect the presence of oropharyngeal bacteria. Professional cleaning of the oral cavity and/or the gargling of a disinfectant liquid solution was performed over a five-month period in three facilities for the dependent elderly. Total oropharyngeal bacteria, streptococci, staphylococci, Candida, Pseudomonas, and black-pigmented Bacteroides species were monitored. The levels of these oropharyngeal bacteria decreased or disappeared after weekly professional oral health care, i.e., cleaning of teeth, dentures, tongue, and oral mucous membrane by dental hygienists. After lunch, gargling with povidone iodine was shown to be less effective than professional oral care. These findings indicate that weekly professional mechanical cleaning of the oral cavity, rather than a daily chemical disinfection of the mouth, can be an important strategy to prevent aspiration pneumonia in the dependent elderly.

Key Words: oropharyngeal bacteria • oral health care • aspiration pneumonia • professional care

Journal of Dental Research, Vol. 87, No. 6, 594-598 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/154405910808700602
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