Oral Microbial Colonization in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Patients.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assess oral microbial colonization before and after the implementation of an oral hygiene protocol in children admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) using nonhospitalized healthy children as a control group.


METHODS
Two groups were analyzed in this clinical study: Group G1 (dentate children admitted to the PICU); and Group G2 (nonhospitalized, healthy, dentate children). The G1 group underwent oral assessments before (G1i) and after (G1f) a three-day oral hygiene protocol using 0.12 percent chlorhexidine applied at 12-hour intervals.


RESULTS
Several pathogenic bacteria were identified in group G1i, which was significantly higher than in group G2 (P<.001). There were significant differences between groups G1i and G1f regarding the presence of pathogenic bacteria (P<.001) and a tongue coat (P<.001). The G1f and G2 groups were comparable concerning the presence of pathogenic bacteria (P=.14).


CONCLUSIONS
Pathogenic bacteria were present in the oral cavity of almost all hospitalized children and were significantly decreased after an appropriate oral hygiene protocol was incorporated in their daily care. Therefore, regular oral hygiene protocols are warranted in PICUs.
Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Catholic University of Brasília, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil. cinthiagbcastro@hotmail.com.
Cinthia Gonçalves
CG
Barbosa de Castro Piau
Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Catholic University of Brasília, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil.
Tatiana Degani Paes Leme
TD
Azevedo
Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Catholic University of Brasília, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil.
Adriano Gonçalves Barbosa
AG
de Castro Piau
Department of Oral Surgery, School of Dentistry, Catholic University of Brasília, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil.
Alexandre Franco
AF
Miranda
Regional Hospital of the South Wing, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil.
Jefferson Augusto Piemonte
JA
Pinheiro
School of Dentistry, University of Brasília, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil.
Ana Cristina Barreto
AC
Bezerra
D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002648:Child; D002673:Child, Hospitalized; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric; D008297:Male; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology*; D009910:Oral Hygiene