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Pneumonia is a leading cause of illness and mortality among older adults. While maintaining oral hygiene is known to diminish pneumonia risk, evidence on in-hospital dental interventions after pneumonia onset is still limited.
In older adults suffering from acute pneumonia, in-hospital professional oral health management is linked with better outcomes.
Pneumonia is a leading cause of illness and mortality among older adults. While maintaining oral hygiene is known to diminish pneumonia risk, evidence on in-hospital dental interventions after pneumonia onset is still limited. This observational cohort study evaluated whether professional oral health management (POHM) delivered by hospital dental teams influences discharge outcomes in elderly patients admitted with acute pneumonia.
A total of 1,415 adults (aged 65 years and above) who were admitted for acute pneumonia were included. Individuals with hospital-acquired pneumonia, pneumonia associated with COVID-19, or atypical pneumonia were excluded from the analysis. The intervention assessed was POHM, which involved mechanical oral cleaning along with tailored dental treatments such as periodontal care, caries management, denture adjustments, and tooth extractions when needed.
Information collected from hospital records included demographic data, severity of pneumonia measured by A-DROP score, serum albumin, comorbid medical conditions, hospital stay duration, and whether POHM was performed. Discharge status was classified as favorable (returned home or discharged to a care facility) or unfavorable (transfer to another hospital for ongoing treatment or death during hospitalization). Using multivariate logistic regression, the link between POHM and discharge outcomes was examined after adjusting for clinical confounders.
Of the total study population, 983 patients (69.5%) achieved favorable discharge outcomes, and 293 patients (20.7%) received POHM. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, POHM remained significantly linked with better discharge results (adjusted odds ratio 1.96).
Hospital-based POHM during the acute stage of pneumonia substantially improved discharge outcomes among older adult patients. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating dedicated dental care into multidisciplinary inpatient pneumonia management to boost recovery and minimize healthcare burdens in aging populations.
Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
In-Hospital Professional Oral Health Management is Associated With Improved Outcomes in Older Adults With Acute Pneumonia
Takashi Ohi et al.
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