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MINI REVIEW article
Front. Oral. Health
Sec. Oral Infections and Microbes
Volume 6 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/froh.2025.1566355
Oral care medications for the prevention and treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia in Intensive Care Unit
Provisionally accepted- 1 State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
- 2 Department of Emergency Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
- 3 School of Nursing, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
- 4 Energy Engineering Safety and Disaster Mechanics Lab, Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
- 5 Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Medical Center, Sichuan Medical University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
- 6 West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
This study aims to ameliorate the management of VAP in clinical practice and deliver more precise care in the ICU. Study selection using the appropriate critical appraisal tools was undertaken by three authors. This review provides an overview of empirical antibiotics, chlorhexidine, and povidone-iodine, which are currently commonly used in critical care. It also discusses oral medications and preparations that may be used to prevent and treat ICU ventilator-associated pneumonia, including new antibiotics, hydrogen peroxide solutions, sodium bicarbonate, octenidine, and oral herbal medicines. It also discusses ongoing research and potential applications, such as the antimicrobial effects of these agents in ICU oral hygiene. Pharmaceuticals and formulations used in oral hygiene are effective or have huge application potential in the prevention and treatment of VAP, but further research is needed to standardize oral health assessment and care practices to develop evidence-based personalized oral hygiene for critically ill patients.
Keywords: ventilator-associated pneumonia, Intensive Care Unit, oral medication and formulation, Oral care, precise care
Received: 24 Jan 2025; Accepted: 05 Mar 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Huang, Yu, Huang, Zeng and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Jumei Zeng, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610000, Sichuan Province, China
Yuqing Li, State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan Province, China
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.