title: Oral care for people with advanced cancer: an evidence-based protocol.
abstract: Poor oral health is an extremely common problem in patients with advanced cancer and, because of its impact on quality of life, promoting oral care should be regarded as a priority by every hospice and palliative care team. At Accord Hospice, Paisley, UK, a protocol for oral care has been developed which is simple, inexpensive and evidence-based. Evaluation of the protocol has shown that it can lead to significant and consistent improvements in oral health and comfort. A survey of mouth-care practices in other Scottish hospice units reveals that although much agreement exists, certain practices that are unsupported by research evidence are still undertaken.
authors.affiliation: University of Paisley and Ardgowan Hospice, Greenock, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Milligan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McGill
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Sweeney
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Malarkey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D017051:Hospice Care; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000379:methods*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012606:Scotland; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires