The Change of Oral Bacterial Count after Professional Oral Hygiene Care with a Newly Developed Gel and Suctioning

Abstract

　Aim：This study aimed to clarify the change of oral hygiene status after performing a new method of professional oral hygiene care using a newly-developed gel and suctioning with a probe in elderly patients without oral intake based on oral bacterial count.

　Methods：One hundred elderly patients without oral intake were randomly divided into two groups：the new oral hygiene method using a newly-developed gel and sustained-suctioning with a probe was performed in one group, and the conventional method was performed in the other group. One dental hygienist performed the oral hygiene care for all subjects once a day for five consecutive days. The number of oral bacteria was counted using a bacterial counter four times：at the baseline, immediately after, and 1 hour after the oral hygiene care on the first day, and 1 hour after on the fifth day. The data was statistically analyzed using two-way ANOVA. Additionally, the number of subjects with poor hygiene（level 4 and over）was compared among the two groups at the baseline and at the fifth day and statistically analyzed using the chi-squared test.

　Results：The oral bacteria count in the new method group was significantly less than that in the conventional method group at immediately after, 1 hour after, and the fifth day. In the new method group, the count at the fifth day was significantly less than at the baseline and immediately after the care.

　In addition, the number of subjects whose oral hygiene status improved was significantly more in the new method group（29 of 49）than in the conventional group（7 of 47）.

　Conclusions：The change of oral bacterial count found in this RCT suggested that the new professional oral hygiene method could be more effective than the conventional method.