Effects of Oral Health Interventions in People with Oropharyngeal Dysphagia: A Systematic Review

People with oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) are at risk of developing aspiration pneumonia. However, there is no “best practice” for oral health interventions to improve swallowing-related outcomes, the incidence of aspiration pneumonia, and oral health in people with OD. Systematic literature searches were conducted for oral health interventions in OD in PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO until July 2021. Original articles published in English and reporting pre- and post-intervention measurements were included. The methodology and reporting were guided by the PRISMA checklist. The methodological quality of the eight included studies was rated using the QualSyst critical appraisal tool. The oral health interventions in people with OD were diverse. This study shows little evidence that regular oral care and the free water protocol or oral disinfection reduced the incidence of aspiration pneumonia in people with OD. Oral cleaning, twice a day with an antibacterial toothpaste in combination with intraoral cleaning or the free water protocol, proved to be the most promising intervention to improve oral health. The effect of improved oral health status on swallowing-related outcomes could not be established. Increasing awareness of the importance of oral health and implementing practical oral care guidelines for people involved in the daily care of people with OD are recommended.