An Interprofessional Approach to Oral Hygiene for Elderly Inpatients and the Perception of Caregivers Towards Oral Health Care

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of an interprofessional oral hygiene support program for elderly inpatients and the perception of caregivers of the elderly towards oral health care. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants comprised 37 elderly inpatients requiring nursing care (17 males, 20 females; mean age, 83.3 ± 4.9 years) and 29 registered nurses who participated in the interprofessional oral health care support program as a caregiver (4 males, 25 females; mean age, 45.2 ± 10.3 years). In this program, inpatients received daily oral cleaning by registered nurses based on each patient's oral health care plan. The number of microbes on the tongue surface of the inpatients was measured once a week for 12 weeks. Additionally, as an investigation of the perception of the caregivers towards oral health care, a questionnaire about the required frequency and duration for oral cleaning was conducted with registered nurses before and after the program to investigate the perception of the caregivers towards oral health care. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed in the number of microbes on the tongue surface between baseline and at every measurement after the beginning of this program, except for the first week. The mean required frequency and duration for oral cleaning by registered nurses at baseline were 1.5 ± 0.8 times and 3.8 ± 2.2 minutes, whereas those after the program were 2.7 ± 0.7 times and 5.8 ± 2.9 minutes, respectively. CONCLUSION: Implementation of the program decreased the number of microbes on the tongue surface of the elderly inpatients and improved the perception of their caregivers towards oral health care.