Scientists have proven to reduce the risk of pneumonia by improving oral hygiene

Scientists have found that regular brushing reduces the risk of developing non-ventilatory hospital-acquired pneumonia by 60%. This was reported in the journal Medical Xpress.

The results of a large-scale study of HAPPEN (Hospital Acquired Pneumonia Prevention) were presented at the ESCMID Global 2026 conference. This is the first multicenter randomized controlled hospital trial dedicated to this approach, and the largest in its class: it involved more than 8.8 thousand patients from three Australian clinics.

As part of the study, patients received a toothbrush, toothpaste, educational materials, and access to online resources at the time of admission to the hospital. The medical staff received on-site training and practical support. The proportion of patients who received oral care increased from 15.9% in the control group to 61.5% in the intervention group. On average, the procedure was performed one and a half times a day.

"One of the most encouraging results was the scale of the improvements achieved. Previously, we identified a number of barriers: insufficient access to essential medicines, low awareness of the link between oral hygiene and pneumonia, and competition with other clinical priorities. By eliminating them through training, resources, and conversations with patients, we were able to significantly improve the level of oral care," said Brett Mitchell, lead author of the study and professor at Avondale University.

I'll give you a tooth: the cost of dental appointments has increased by one and a half times

The most expensive specialist services were in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

The incidence of hospital-acquired pneumonia as a result of the intervention decreased from 1.00 to 0.41 cases per 100 days, which corresponds to a reduction of about 60%. According to the scientist, non-ventilation hospital pneumonia (NV-HAP), as a rule, develops due to the ingress of fluid from the mouth or throat into the lungs. The key role here is played by the patient's own microflora, not by contact transmission.

Hospital-acquired inhentilation pneumonia occurs in patients who are not on a ventilator at least 48 hours after admission to the hospital. This is one of the most common infections associated with medical care: it leads to an increase in the length of hospitalization, increased costs and increased mortality. In terms of frequency, it is not inferior to ventilator-associated pneumonia, but historically it has attracted much less attention from researchers.

According to Mitchell, current clinical guidelines already recognize the role of oral care in the prevention of NV-HAP, but so far have lacked sufficient evidence. The next step is to explore how structured care programs can be effectively implemented and maintained in hospital settings on an ongoing basis.

On April 9, Victoria Karatayeva, the chief dentist of All Yours Dentistry, said that chronic stress causes serious harm not only to the nervous system, but also to the condition of the oral cavity, including teeth and bite. The specialist noted that a dentist often becomes the first doctor to notice signs of stress in a patient. These include chipped teeth, hypersensitivity, dry mouth, and jaw clicks.