Oral Care Interventions and Ventilator Associated Pneumonia in Critically Ill Children

Oral care with 0.12% Chlorhexidine Digluconate and toothbrushing is realized twice a day and took about 10 minutes to complete, depending on the child's acceptance and clinical conditions.

Gel is applied on a toothbrush, and the teeth are cleaned in quadrants; all teeth surfaces are cleaned (vestibular, lingual, occlusal, and incisal). After each quadrant is cleaned, 10 mL of water (dispensed via a syringe) is used to rinse the quadrant and continual aspiration is used to remove all the gel and debris. After all the teeth are cleaned, the ventral surface of the tongue is brushed with posteriorto-anterior movements.