Oral care in adults

Mouth care is part of basic nursing care. It can be defined as the promotion of health and the prevention or treatment of disease of the oral mucosa, lips, teeth and gums (Dougherty et al, 2015). The three mains aims of oral care are assessment, care and patient education (Baillie, 2014).

The Department of Health's Essence of Care document (2010) emphasised that oral hygiene is a priority and a standard facet of patient care. Nurses, who work at the heart of health care, may find themselves as the first point of contact with patients who require assistance with oral care or who are experiencing oral problems (Brooker and Nicol, 2015).

The mouth is the most important part of the face: it is required both for communication and to consume food and drink. It is therefore important to adhere to good oral cavity hygiene, to avoid both of these functions being severely affected (Peate, 2010). Conditions such as xerostomia (dryness of the mouth) can pose complications, such as infection or oral thrush and ulceration (Dougherty et al, 2015).