A Study of Chlorhexidine Gel Treatment in an Oral Hygiene Program for Elderly Patients in Long Term Care¹

Abstract

An investigation was made to measure the effectiveness of one of the newer agents used in promotion of oral hygiene, i.e., Chlorhexidine gel. The study was designed with elderly people in long term care.

The Relationship between Oral Health and Systemic Infections among Elderly Residents of Chronic Care Facilities: A Review1

“…The literature lacks documentation of studies in which the colonization of the lower respiratory tract with bacteria from diseased periodontal tissues has been quantified. It is likely that the poor oral health of institutionalized elderly [Banting et al, 1980;Empey et al, 1983;Nordenram & Westphal, 1983;Rodke, 1978] directly contributes to the increased risk of lower respiratory tract bacterial infections. Some authors have at least recognized that infected periodontal tissues could be the source of many of the organisms implicated in the etiology of non-pneumococcal bacterial pneumonia [Leedom & Brown.…”

Comparison of Two Routines for Long‐Term Oral Hygiene Treatment with Chlorhexidine Gel in Geriatric Patients1

“…These studies have been performed in healthy persons and handicapped children or adults. Elderly institutionalized patients responded well to oral hygiene treatment with chlorhexidine gel for 2 weeks [Nordenram & Westphal 1983]. The long-term effect of chlorhexidine on oral hygiene has been reported by Emilson and Fornell [1976] who used a 0.5% gel for one year, and Loe et al [1976] who let young students rinse their mouths with chlorhexidine solution for 2 years.…”

“…The aim of the present investigation was to study the long-term effects during 51 weeks of tooth-brushing with 1% chlorhexidine gel {Hibitane® Dental 1%, ICI Ltd., England) in elderly institutionalized patients and follow up the study of the short-term effects performed by Nordenram and Westphal in 1983. A subsidiary aim was to compare a continuous and an intermittent treatment model.…”