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Advanced Oral Care article by Kathleen Vollman. Highlights the risk factors and oral care interventions for aspiration pneumonia.

2012-09-06T11:18:00-05:00 2020-04-14T21:53:07-05:00 Stryker Home Care http://homecare.stryker.com homecaresupport@stryker.com Stryker Home Care http://homecare.stryker.com homecaresupport@stryker.com <h3>As seen in USA Today - Oral Health; Media Planet, August 2012</h3> <p><strong>By Kathleen Vollman, MSN, RN, CCNS, FCCM, FAAN, Consultant</strong></p> <p>"Oral bacteria and its link to infection has been extensively studied and published in dental literature," said Robert Garcia, an Infection Control Preventionist at Stony Brook Medicine.</p> <p>Risk factors for aspiration pneumonia (breathing foreign material into the lungs) include:</p> <ul> <li>Dependent on others for oral care</li> <li>Previously on hospital/nursing home ventilator</li> <li>Trouble swallowing</li> <li>Dry mouth</li></ul> <p>Helpful oral care interventions:</p> <ul> <li>Brushing teeth after meals and before sleeping</li> <li>Cleansing between brushings with an oral rinse</li> <li> Moisturizing to help with natural saliva production</li> <li>Regular professional dental assessment and treatment</li> </ul>