Examination of intensive care unit patients' oral health

This study was planned to examine the intensive care unit patients' oral health. The population of this descriptive study consisted of the hospitalized patients from the intensive care units of Ege University and five central hospitals connected to Izmir North Public Hospital Association between the dates of December 2015- June 2016. There was no sample selection method used in study, the sample of the study comprised all the patients corresponding to the number of all intensive care beds (n=202), meeting the research criteria and received consent. A total of 202 patients over the age of 18, who had not Sjögren Syndrome diagnosis, head trauma, mouth jaw surgery and head-neck radiotherapy or chemotherapy and two hours passed from application of oral care were included in the study. Oral health diagnostics of patients were made using a source of light, a tongue depressor and Bedside Oral Examination (BOE) guide and Data Collection Form used for desciriptive features. To carry out the study, written consents were taken from Ege University Faculty of Nursing Ethical Commitee, Ege University Faculty of Medicine Hospital, Izmir North Public Hospital Association and the patients who approved the study. The average age of the patients was 67.18±14.85 (min=20, mak=95) years, 45.5% were women (n=92) and 74.3% of them were conscious (n=150). 31.7% of patients with artificial respiration and average duration of artificial respiration was 15.2±16.31 days. 51.5 % of them were the patients fed apart from orally and the average duration of the feeding without oral way was 11.8±13.23 days. 18% of patients were smokers and 41.6% of patients were taking oxygen treatment. None of the intensive care units had an oral examination guide. Artificial respiration patients' oral care frequency average was 2.31±1.31 times. BOE guide score average was 14.20±3.90 and score range changed between 8 (healthy) and 20 (severe dsyfunction). There was a statistical difference between patients' oral health and age group, states of consciousness, respiratory and feeding type (p<0.01) but there was no statistical difference between oral health and oxygen treatment, teeth type, smoking (p>0.05). There wasn't a statistical difference between duration of artificial respiration, time of feding without oral way, and oral health (p>0.05) but there was a statistical difference between the total amount of drugs used, oral care frequency and oral health (p<0.05). There was a statistical difference between the oral care technics and oral health (p<0.001). At the end of the study, It was indicated that intensive care unit patients are the risk groups in terms of oral health. It is recommended that an assessment guideline has been standardized for systematic evaluation of patients' oral health should be used and care applications should be determined according the patients' needs and care should be implemented in an effective way. However, the effectiveness of oral care techniques needs further experimental investigation.