The Effectiveness of Mouthwash Solutions in Preventing Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP): A Systematic Review
Main Article Content
Abstract
Nurses' crucial responsibility is oral health care for critically ill patients with endotracheal intubation. This article presents a systematic review comparing the effectiveness of various mouthwashes in preventing Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP). Research studies and publications in English were selected from electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar, covering the period from January 2014 to August 2024. The quality of the studies was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias Tool for Randomized Trials (RoB). The findings from 9 studies revealed that certain agents, such as herbal products, ozonated water, and hydrogen peroxide, demonstrated good efficacy in preventing VAP with fewer side effects than chlorhexidine, which is commonly used. Therefore, when selecting oral care products, they should consider side effects and their suitability for individual patients to ensure effective care.
Article Details

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
Rosenthal VD, Yin R, Nercelles P, Rivera-Molina SE, Jyoti S, Dongol R, et al. International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) report of health care associated infections, data summary of 45 countries for 2015 to 2020, adult and pediatric units, device-associated module. Am J Infect Control. 2024;52(9):1002-11. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2023.12.019
Ding X, Ma X, Gao S, Su L, Shan G, Hu Y, et al. Effect of ICU quality control indicators on VAP incidence rate and mortality: a retrospective study of 1267 hospitals in China. Crit Care. 2022;26(1):1–15. doi:10.1186/s13054-022-04285-6.
Ladbrook E, Khaw D, Bouchoucha S, Hutchinson A. A systematic scoping review of the cost-impact of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) intervention bundles in intensive care. Am J Infect Control. 2020;49(4):528-34. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2020.11.027
โรงพยาบาลศิริราช. รายงานอัตราความชุกของการติดเชื้อในโรงพยาบาลศิริราช อัตราการเกิด VAP ปี พ.ศ. 2566.(รายงานไม่เผยแพร่)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pneumonia (Ventilator-associated [VAP] and non-ventilator-associated pneumonia [PNEU]) event. [Internet]. January 2024. [cited 2024 Jun 10] Available from:https://www.cdc.gov/ nhsn/pdfs/pscmanual/6pscvapcurrent.pdf
Torres A, Cilloniz C, Niederman MS, Menéndez R, Chalmers JD, Wunderink RG, van der Poll T. Pneumonia. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2021;7(25):1-28. doi:10.1038/s41572-021-00259-0
Miron M, Blaj M, Ristescu AI, Iosep G, Avadanei AN, Iosep DG, et al. Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia and Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia: A Literature Review. Microorganisms. 2024;12(1):213.doi:10.3390/microorganisms12010213
สถาบันบำราศนราดูร, กรมควบคุมโรค. แนวปฏิบัติเพื่อป้องกันและควบคุมการติดเชื้อในโรงพยาบาล. พิมพ์ครั้งที่ 1. นนทบุรี: สำนักพิมพ์อักษรกราฟิคแอนด์ดีไซน์; 2563. น 41.
Kes D, Yildirim TA, Kuru C, Pazarlıoglu F, Ciftci T, Ozdemir M. Effect of 0.12% Chlorhexidine use for oral care on ventilator-associated respiratory infections: A randomized controlled trial. J Trauma Nurs. 2021;28(4):228-34. doi:10.1097/JTN.0000000000000590
Klompas M, Branson R, Cawcutt K, Crist M, Eichenwald EC, Greene LR, et al. Strategies to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia, ventilator-associated events, and nonventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia in acute-care hospitals: 2022 Update. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2022;43(6):687-713. doi:10.1017/ice.2022.88
Vieira PC, de Oliveira RB, da Silva Mendonça TM. Should oral chlorhexidine remain in ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention bundles? Med Intensiva. 2022;46(5):259-68. doi:10.1016/j.medine.2020.09.010
Torres A, Niederman MS, Chastre J, Ewig S, Fernandez-Vandellos P, Hamburger H, et al. Summary of the international clinical guidelines for the management of hospital-acquired and ventilator-acquired pneumonia. ERJ Open Res. 2018;4(2):00028-2018. doi:10.1183/23120541.00028-2018
Cochrane Methods. Risk of Bias 2 Cochrane Review Starter Pack. [Internet]. May 2022. [cited 2024 Jun 3] Available from: https://methods.cochrane.org/sites/methods.cochrane.org/files/uploads/inline-files/RoB%202_Cochrane%20 Starter%20Pack_May2022_modified_080323.pdf
Lev A, Sebeih AA, Arshed S. The effect of different oral hygiene treatments on the occurrence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in ventilated patients. J Infect Prev. 2015;16(2):76-81. doi:10.1177/1757177414560252
Nobahar M, Razavi MR, Malek F, Ghorbani R. Effects of hydrogen peroxide mouthwash on preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia in patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Braz J Infect Dis. 2016;20(5):444-50. doi:10.1016/j.bjid.2016.06.005
Kaya H, Turan Y, Tunalı Y, Özdemir Aydın G, Yüce N, Gürbüz Ş, Tosun K. Effects of oral care with glutamine in preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia in neurosurgical intensive care unit patients. Appl Nurs Res. 2017;33:10-14. doi:10.1016/j.apnr.2016.10.006
Mojtahedzadeh M, Boojar MMA, Habtemariam S, Nabavi SM, Najafi A, Ghahremanian A, et al. Systematic review: Effectiveness of herbal oral care products on ventilator-associated pneumonia. Phytother Res. 2021;35(7):3665-72. doi:10.1002/ptr.7060
Jahanshir M, Nobahar M, Ghorbani R, Malek F. Effect of clove mouthwash on the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia in intensive care unit patients: a comparative randomized triple-blind clinical trial. Clin Oral Investig. 2023;27:3589-600. doi:10.1007/s00784-023-04972-w
Xiang Y, Ren X, Xu Y, Cheng L, Cai H, Hu T. Anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects of mouthwashes in intensive care units: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 ;20(1):1-17. doi:10.3390/ijerph20010733
Izadi M, Bagheri M, Bahrami Far A, Bagheri-baghdasht MS, Ghasemzadeh G, Sureda A, Soodmand M. Reduce the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia in ICU patients by ozonated water mouthwash: A double-blind randomized clinical trial. Am J Infect Control. 2023;51(7):779-85. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2022.10.015
Darbanian N, Nobahar M, Ghorbani R. Effect of propolis mouthwash on the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia in intensive care unit patients: a comparative randomized triple-blind clinical trial. BMC Oral Health.2024;24:1-12. doi:10.1186/s12903-024-04412-5
Li S, Huang Y, Xie H. Herbal oral care products for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised trials. PLoS One. 2024;19(6):1-17. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0304583
Brookes Z, McGrath C, McCullough M. Antimicrobial mouthwashes: an overview of mechanisms — What do we still need to know? Int Dent J. 2023;73(Suppl 2):64–8. doi:10.1016/j.identj.2023.08.009
Muniz FWMG, Cavagni J, Langa GPJ, Stewart B, Malheiros Z, Rösing CK. A Systematic review of the effect of oral rinsing with H2O2 on clinical and microbiological parameters related to plaque, gingivitis and microbes. Int J Dent. 2020;24:1-18. doi:10.1155/2020/8841722
Haro-González JN, Castillo-Herrera GA, Martínez-Velázquez M, Espinosa-Andrews H. Clove Essential Oil (Syzygium aromaticum L. Myrtaceae): Extraction, Chemical Composition, Food Applications, and Essential Bioactivity for Human Health. Molecules. 2021;26(22):7046. doi:10.3390/molecules26227046
Cruzat V, Rogero MM, Keane KN, Curi R, Newsholme P. Glutamine: metabolism and immune function, supplementation and clinical translation. Nutrients. 2018;10(11):1-31. doi:10.3390/nu10111564
Deus FP, Ouanounou A. Chlorhexidine in Dentistry: Pharmacology, Uses, and Adverse Effects. Int Dent J. 2022;72(3):269–77. PMCID: PMC9275362. PMID: 35287956. doi:10.1016/j.identj.2022.01.005