Toothbrushing tied to lower pneumonia rates in hospitalized patients

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Seriously ill hospitalized patients whose teeth are brushed at least twice daily are far less likely to develop pneumonia, the most common hospital-acquired infection, a new analysis suggests.

The study, published online Dec. 18, 2023, by JAMA Internal Medicine, reviewed 15 earlier analyses involving a total of nearly 2,800 patients. Fourteen studies were conducted in hospital intensive care units (ICUs), while 13 involved patients on ventilators. Patients whose teeth were brushed twice or more daily were 33% less likely to develop hospital-acquired pneumonia than those without a toothbrushing regimen. Patients whose teeth were brushed also needed ventilators for less time, were able to leave the ICU more quickly, and were less likely to die in the ICU than those without a toothbrushing regimen.

Since hospital-acquired pneumonia — which kills more people than any other health care–associated infection — is largely due to inhaling germs from the mouth and throat, toothbrushing may reduce its incidence by eradicating some of those germs, study authors said.