Cuidados de enfermería en la higiene bucal de pacientes intubados. Revisión de la Literatura

Abstract

Objective: Determine nursing care in oral hygiene of intubated patients through a bibliographic review. Methods: A documentary, non-systematic and descriptive research was carried out on the nursing care received by intubated patients in intensive care units for oral hygiene, using databases such as: PubMed, BVS, Scielo, Google scholar, using descriptors from Health Sciences DESC and Medical Subject Headings MeSH, whose inclusion criteria were: original articles, bibliographic review and case reports directly related to the topic, published in the period 2019-2023, in language Spanish and English and of scientific quality (SJR). The bibliographic review was developed with nine bibliographic sources, predominantly qualitative and in English. Results: Oral hygiene care generally includes the use of oral antiseptics such as chlorhexidine, brushing with small soft bristles, suction and hydration of the oral cavity to reduce plaque formation and consequently infections and mortality in intubated patients. Conclusion: It is established that nursing care in oral hygiene of intubated patients is essential to keep the oral cavity clean, stimulate saliva flow, avoid inflammation, pain and discomfort in the patient, keep the mucosa and lips hydrated and above all reduce dental plaque, microbial and colonization of the oropharynx.