Aspiration Pneumonia and Oral Health

Purpose of Review: The goal of this review is to summarize the literature regarding the association between poor oral health and aspiration pneumonia as well as the effect of oral care interventions on the incidence of aspiration pneumonia in older adults. Recent Findings: Accumulating evidence suggests that poor oral hygiene and dental status are primary risk factors for the development of aspiration pneumonia. Although some evidence supports the potential of oral care intervention to prevent pneumonia and reduce its associated mortality, the limited number of high-quality studies precludes reaching robust conclusions regarding its efficacy and establishing clinical guidelines. Summary: There is a strong association between oral hygiene and aspiration pneumonia risk. The review highlights the need for further randomized controlled trials examining the efficacy of individual oral care interventions for aspiration pneumonia prevention.