Consensus based clinical guideline for oral hygiene in the critically ill

Oropharyngeal colonisation has been identified as a factor contributing to ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). We sought to develop a clinical practice guideline for providing oral hygiene in the critically ill. Following a systematic literature review a prospectively derived consensus development conference was convened and sponsored by a clinical governance unit. The consensus development conference generated 12 recommendations for tools and solutions; frequency and duration of cleaning; oral assessment tools and oral hygiene protocols. These recommendations underwent a validation process. In light of sparse high level evidence to inform guidelines, further research is needed inform clinical practice. Oral hygiene is a critical element of nursing care and a standardised approach has the potential to improve clinical outcomes.