A importância da higienização bucal na prevenção de pneumonia nosocomial: revisão discutida

Abstract

In hospital environments, hospitalized patients have a greater risk of being affected by secondary infections, especially when they are submitted to mechanical ventilation (MV), as the accumulation of oral biofilm favors the proliferation of microorganisms capable of developing pneumonia. Among all nosocomial infections, ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) has the greatest negative impact on patient status and healthcare costs. This condition can be triggered within 48 hours after intubation, if there is no adequate oral care. The present study aims to expose in a succinct and accessible way the importance of oral hygiene for the prevention of pneumonia. In this way, a bibliographic survey was carried out, through the selection of articles in the PubMed database, on the subject. Convergence and divergence of protocols were found with the use of “bundles”, an expression in the English language, which consists of a set of interventions, through tooth brushing, the use of chlorhexidine, the position of the patient, among others. It is also worth noting how significant a multidisciplinary work is, with the presence of a dental surgeon composing the team in hospitals.