Author/Authors :
Nawata, Wakako The Center for Visiting Dental Service - Fukuoka Dental College Medical and Dental General Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan , Umezaki, Yojiro The Center for Visiting Dental Service - Fukuoka Dental College Medical and Dental General Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan , Yamaguchi, Masahiro The Center for Visiting Dental Service - Fukuoka Dental College Medical and Dental General Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan , Nakajima, Masato The Center for Visiting Dental Service - Fukuoka Dental College Medical and Dental General Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan , Makino, Michiko The Center for Visiting Dental Service - Fukuoka Dental College Medical and Dental General Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan , Yoneda, Masahiro Department of General Dentistry - Section of General Dentistry - Fukuoka Dental College, Fukuoka, Japan , Hirofuji, Takao Department of General Dentistry - Section of General Dentistry - Fukuoka Dental College, Fukuoka, Japan , Yamano, Takafumi Department of General Medicine - Section of Otorhinolaryngology - Fukuoka Dental College, Fukuoka, Japan , Ooboshi, Hiroaki Department of General Medicine - Section of Internal Medicine - Fukuoka Dental College, Fukuoka, Japan , Morita, Hiromitsu The Center for Visiting Dental Service - Fukuoka Dental College Medical and Dental General Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan
Abstract :
Professional oral health care (POHC) is known to prevent aspiration pneumonia in patients with dysphagia and/or those at the
perioperative stage of surgery. However, the effect of POHC on patients suffering from aspiration pneumonia remains
unknown. Here, we report a case where continual POHC intervention improved severe aspiration pneumonia. A 74-year-old
male patient with a brain infarction suffered from severe aspiration pneumonia (PSI: IV, A-DROP: 3) complicated by vascular
dementia and severe dysphagia. Because an antimicrobial approach following the treatment guidelines for pneumonia was not
effective, we started a POHC intervention to improve his poor oral condition at the request of the attending doctor and the
patient’s family. The severe pneumonia markedly improved after continual POHC by the dental team. This case suggests that
continual POHC intervention by a dental hygienist may improve severe aspiration pneumonia.
