2025 Volume 46 Issue 2 Pages 74-82
Oral moisturizers are commonly utilized in the management of patients presenting with membranous substances to facilitate their softening and removal. However, conventional oral moisturizers often present challenges in removal procedures and may induce bleeding during the process. To address these limitations, we evaluated the efficacy of hydrogels made from pectin, a natural polysaccharide and hydrocolloid, in removing membranous substances.
This study employed a crossover design involving consenting tube-fed patients allocated into two groups. The protocol was initiated with comprehensive oral examinations to document the presence and morphology of palatal deposits, followed by minimal sample collection for pathological examination. Subsequently, oral mucosal care was administered, with one group receiving palatal mucosal care using the pectin gel while the other group received care with a glycerin-containing moisturizer. Observations and the mucosal care were conducted at predetermined intervals, documenting both the duration required for palatal mucosal care and the incidence of post-care bleeding. Following the completion of the initial phase and a subsequent washout period, the protocol was repeated with reversed group assignments.
Pathological specimens were analyzed to determine membranous substances, with morphological classification into four categories：none, mucous, viscous, and dry substances, based on a visual assessment. Statistical analyses comprised the Mann-Whitney U test for comparing care duration across different morphological types between the two oral care products, while Fisher’s exact test was employed to analyze bleeding incidence rates.
The results demonstrated that the pectin gel group required significantly less time for palatal mucosal care in cases with dry deposits （p＜0.05）. Furthermore, this group exhibited a significantly lower incidence of bleeding episodes （p＝0.039）. These findings suggest that the pectin gel is an effective alternative for the removal of membranous deposits in oral care procedures.
