Effective Oral Care Cuts Surgical Site Infections

Perioperative oral management significantly reduces surgical site infections (SSIs) and shortens hospital stays.

• Oral care interventions lowered SSI risk by 36% in experimental studies (RR=0.64) and 51% in observational studies (OR=0.49).
• Modest effects were noted in patients with cardiovascular disease (OR=0.72) and non-oncology patients (OR=0.66).

Implement tailored oral management plans to optimize preoperative care.

• Protocols lacking chemical or mechanical cleaning showed no benefit (OR=0.76).
• Patients experienced 1.88 fewer days in the hospital following effective oral care.