RESUMO
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate a multidisciplinary intensive oral health protocol, proposed and applied by a dentist, in an adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU), in regards to the prevention of Ventilator-associated Pneumonia (VAP), compared with retrospective data. METHODS: 4,103 patients admitted to the adult ICU from January 2013 to December 2017 and selected patients who were under mechanical ventilation with an orotracheal tube for at least 48 hours. These patients were compared before (Baseline Group) and after (Intervention Group) the hygiene protocol established and carried out by a multidisciplinary team led by a dentist. The Baseline Group, from January 2013 to May 2015, 213 patients, and the Intervention Group, from June 2015 to December 2017, 137 patients. RESULTS: Forty-five patients (21.12%) in the Baseline Group and 5 patients (3.65%) in the Intervention Group developed VAP (P < .05). Twenty-two patients (10.33%) died due to VAP in the Baseline Group, and 1 patient (0.73%) died due to VAP (P < .05) in the Intervention Group. The mortality rate of VAP was 48.89% for Baseline Group and 20.00% for Intervention Group (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: The study showed better outcomes when patients' oral health is led, evaluated and treated by a dentist in the ICU. The dental care intervention contributed to the reduction of VAP episodes and deaths due to VAP.