Get To Know More About Oral Care And Aspiration Pneumonia

By Christopher Wallace


Basically, aspiration might not necessarily result in pneumonia. However, it is suggested that larynx that acts like a valve might not be sufficient always to deter food and the secretions from getting to the base of the respiratory system. Nevertheless, aspiration pneumonia arises when large bacteria loads gets into your respiratory system. As a result, they overwhelm and then weaken your immunity. It is, therefore, important to be well-informed about oral care and aspiration pneumonia.

It is generally suggested that individuals who are dysphagic remain more vulnerable to such pneumonic cases although this may not be for all dysphagic cases. This is due to a number of reasons. First, patients developing the illness from aspiration must have severely suffered some other illness, heart attack or have undergone some surgery. Severe illnesses usually result in stress response through the hypothalamus for sick patients that will then lower the immune system of your body.

This consequently leads to the development of the condition especially between 3 to 7 days following your medical event. Secondly, controversy surrounds the origin of pneumonia-causing bacteria in a dysphagic patient. Despite other claims of the origin being the stomach adequate research as well as dental literature points to oral hygiene as a more likely source. Usually, there is an increased amount of anaerobic bacteria especially in your mouth cavity during a severe illness.

Stress response regulated by the hypothalamus consequently causes declines or stops the exudation of saliva and oral mucous into your mouth cavity. Saliva as and mucous secretions normally assist in keeping away bacteria owing to their immune properties. In consequence, a decline in production slows down the functions they perform thus allowing the accumulation of bacteria inside the mouth cavity. The bacterial load is consequently raised in your inhalations hence causing this illness.

Oral care generally helps in keeping away bacteria that may develop in the mouth especially when you are sick. In fact, it is suggested that aspiration-induced pneumonia is reduced if a professional dental hygienist is frequently visited or visits nursing facilities. Additionally, this ventilator-dependent condition will be significantly decreased when you observe an aggressive oral care.

Following the implication of your mouth cavity hygiene to this condition, there are numerous issues that need to be considered so as to maintain proper hygiene. First, you will be required to observe mouth hygiene by brushing your teeth a minimum of once a day, but three times a day is usually more effective. For the patients, the nurses use toothbrushes that have suction tubes to help catch secretions when brushing in order to prevent swallowing of bacteria.

At the same time, the green sponges often used to clean the mouth cavity remain ineffective and even cause more damage. However, their effect is usually similar to that of lemon glycerine swabs. Although the lemon will help, the swabs with the glycerine alone will only moisten your mouth but not clean it.

Basically, proper mouth hygiene prevents the accumulation of bacteria especially for severely ill patients. As a result, it is recommended that frequent and proper cleaning is done. This will prevent potential bacterial aspiration pneumonia




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