Abstract
Purpose: To compare oral hygiene of the homebound elderly receiving oral feeding with those receiving tube feeding.
Methods: In 56 homebound elderly over 65 years, the oral mucous membrane was rubbed with a disinfected cotton swab and oral microbes were obtained. Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans were measured quantitatively.
Results: P. aeruginosa was not detected in the oral feeding group. The rate of detection (64.7%) and colony forming units (median; 2.0×10 CFUs/ml, range; 0~1.5×104 CFUs/ml) of P. aeruginosa were significantly higher in the tube feeding group (p<.001). No significant differences were found in the rate of detection and colony forming units of S. aureus and C. albicans between the two groups.
Conclusions: In the homebound elderly, the oral hygiene of those receiving tube feeding was inferior to those receiving oral feeding, which indicates a higher risk of aspiration pneumonia in tube feeding than in oral feeding.
