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Oral health status of children in a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit

D Franklin1, N Senior, I James

  • 1Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, London, UK.

Intensive Care Medicine
|May 24, 2000
PubMed

Insights

The current mouth care for critically ill children in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is ineffective. This leads to increased plaque and gingival inflammation, posing risks for oral and systemic health.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Intensive Care
  • Dental Health
  • Critical Care Medicine

Background:

  • Critically ill children in Paediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) require specialized care, including oral hygiene.
  • The effectiveness of standard mouth care protocols in this vulnerable population is not well-established.
  • Poor oral health in critically ill patients can lead to local and systemic complications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the dental status of children admitted to a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).
  • To evaluate the efficacy of the existing mouth care regimen in preventing dental issues.
  • To identify potential risks associated with inadequate oral hygiene in critically ill children.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective, nonrandomized study was conducted.
  • 54 children admitted to the PICU were assessed for dental caries, plaque, gingival inflammation, and bleeding on admission and discharge.
  • Statistical analysis included one-sample t-tests for caries and paired sample t-tests for plaque and gingival parameters.

Main Results:

  • A highly significant increase in plaque accumulation (p = 0.001) was observed between admission and discharge.
  • A significant increase in gingival inflammation (p = 0.006) was also noted during the PICU stay.
  • No significant changes in dental caries were reported compared to national surveys.

Conclusions:

  • The current mouth care regimen in the studied PICU is insufficient to prevent plaque buildup.
  • The existing protocol fails to maintain adequate gingival health in critically ill children.
  • These findings suggest that critically ill children in PICUs are at increased risk of complications due to poor oral hygiene.
Abstract

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