Introducing an oral care assessment tool with advanced cleaning products into a high-risk clinical setting

Poor oral hygiene is an important risk factor for the development of non-ventilator hospital-associated pneumonia (NV-HAP), which imposes a significant burden on the NHS. This study aimed to establish whether the use of a 24-hour oral care kit and an oral care assessment tool can meet the needs of patients on an acute stroke unit. In comparison with the same period the preceding year, the introduction of the oral care kit and assessment tool improved compliance with oral care by more than 4 times; the overall costs of antibiotics to treat NV-HAP patients fell by 79%, with the number of doses falling by 70%, and the mortality rate decreased from 27% to 20%. According to a survey of multidisciplinary team (MDT) members keeping oral care tools available at the point of use saved time, and the oral health of patients on the unit improved after the introduction of the oral care kit and assessment tool. Almost all MDT members would recommend the use of the kit over previous interventions.