16 Poor oral hygiene and potential dental emergency could be major
risk factors for respiratory tract infection in frail elderly people.
17 Dependency upon others for feeding or oral care and number of
decayed teeth were best predictors for aspiration pneumonia.
18 Alveolar bone loss is associated with risk for chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease.
5 Oropharyngeal gram-negative bacilli colonization can be
associated with aspiration pneumonia, and there is a correlation
between Gram-negative bacilli and denture use.
20 Deficient dental plaque control and chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease may be related to respiratory pathogen colonization of
dental plaque in chronic care facility residents.
21 Oral and dental factors are significant risk factors for aspiration
pneumonia.
22 Microorganisms of dental plaque or associated with periodontal
disease may give rise to aspiration pneumonia in susceptible
individuals.
25 Dentures should be considered an important reservoir of
organisms that could colonize the pharynx, and it is important to
control denture plaque for prevention of aspiration pneumonia.
26 Periodontal infections and complete prostheses may be reservoirs
for pathogens that may be harmful and partly explain the observed
reduction in forced expiratory volume during the first second.
8 Fair evidence of an association between pneumonia and oral
health. Poor evidence of a weak association between chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease and oral health. Good evidence that
oral hygiene and frequent professional oral care reduce the
progression or occurrence of respiratory diseases among high-risk
elderly people living in nursing homes.