A Bridge Between Oral Hygiene and Critical Care: Reviewing a Variety of Oral Hygiene Interventions on Critically Ill Patients to Prevent Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP).

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is one of the common causes of severe morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients who are under mechanical ventilation for more than 48 hours. VAP is multifactorial, and poor oral hygiene could be one of the contributing factors for the development of VAP. The main reason is the aspiration of oropharyngeal secretions containing pathogenic microorganisms, eventually leading to colonisation of virulent oral microorganisms in the respiratory tract, which could potentially increase the risk of development of pneumonia. In spite of having better clinical knowledge, greater experience, and advanced technologies, intensivists are still facing challenges in preventing VAP in mechanically ventilated patients. There are various evidence-based strategies employed to maintain better oral health in critically ill patients to prevent the incidence of VAP. This review aims to discuss the different interventions used to maintain oral health in mechanically ventilated patients.