Association between daily toothbrushing and hospital-acquired pneumonia (18 December 2023)

Summary

This systematic review and meta-analysis in JAMA Internal Medicine aimed to explore whether there is an association between daily toothbrushing among hospitalised patients and prevention of hospital-acquired pneumonia. The authors found that hospital-acquired pneumonia rates were lower among patients randomised to daily toothbrushing, particularly among patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation. Toothbrushing was also associated with shorter duration of mechanical ventilation, shorter intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay and lower ICU mortality, whereas hospital length of stay and use of antibiotics showed no differences.