American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Effects of systematic oral care in critically ill patients: a multicenter study.
No standard oral assessment tools are available for determining frequency of oral care in critical care patients, and the method of providing oral care is controversial. ⋯ Oral assessment scores improved after nurses implemented a protocol for systematic oral care. Use of the Beck Scale and the mucosal-plaque score could standardize oral assessment and guide nurses in providing oral interventions.