Pneumonia and the mouth are related to problems in the hospital. Research shows a rise in non-ventilator hospital acquired pneumonia cases linked to poor oral hygiene. The data suggests patients aren’t given toothbrushes to brush their teeth or hospital staff isn’t doing it for them.
Bacteria can seep into the lungs from the mouth causing pneumonia.
The research estimates pneumonia kills 30% of infected patients. The patients that survive, generally, have longer stays and is more costly.
There is now a push for a national reporting standard, which includes, a prevention protocol.
Toothbrushes and toothpaste is cheap. Hopefully, the protocol will include providing oral hygiene products to the staff and patients of every hospital.
Thankfully, the Veteran’s Administration is involved in the movement. The VA has, also, began implementing the practice in its hospitals.
VA researchers created a program to increase oral hygiene in community living centers and hospital patients. Additionally, the initiative has reduced hospital-acquired pneumonia saving veteran’s lives and increasing their quality of life.
The protocol instructs nurses to brush patients’ teeth twice daily in community living centers. Also, the electronic medical record now requires nurses to document whether teeth were brushed.
Subsequently, this has reduced cases by 92% in the initial pilot program.
Additionally, leading experts think the VA could be used for a model for the entire U.S. healthcare system.
Project HAPPEN began in 2016 at the Salem VA Medical Center’s Community Living Center. Triumphantly, the program’s success has led tooth-brushing to become a priority in the medical center. Also, the protocol is being spread to other hospitals and many VA centers have implemented a form of the program. Interestingly, the team has worked with hospitals in all 50 states, 6 provinces in Canada as well as Australia, Brazil, Spain, New Zealand and the UK.
