Relationship of Oral Pathogens to Systemic Diseases

Recent studies have found that poor oral hygiene may foster the colonization of the oropharynx by potential respiratory pathogens in mechanically-ventilated (MV), intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Thus, improvements in oral hygiene in MV-ICU patients may prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).

The specific aims of this project are: 1) to organize the necessary infrastructure to develop and perform a pilot clinical trial to evaluate alternative oral hygiene procedures to prevent VAP; 2) to use this organization to perform a pilot clinical trial to determine if the use of oral topical chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX) will prevent dental plaque, oropharyngeal colonization by respiratory pathogens, and VAP in MV-ICU patients. This pilot longitudinal, double blind intervention study will consider the appropriate frequency of delivery of CHX to improve oral hygiene in MV-ICU patients, assessing the efficacy and generalization of this intervention to improve oral hygiene in MV-ICU and prevent VAP.

Other areas of Dr. Scannapieco's research are available at Microbial Pathogenesis of Oral Organisms, Saliva and Salivary Glands, and Clinical & Translational Research