Effect of Toothbrushing Without Chlorhexidine on Oral Hygiene Indices in Patients With Orotracheal Intubation

September 16, 2026 updated by: Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein

Effect of Toothbrushing Without Chlorhexidine on Oral Hygiene Indices and Risks of Systemic Complications in Patients With Orotracheal Intubation: Randomized Pilot Clinical Study and Cost-effectiveness Analysis.

The oral hygiene method commonly used in intubated patients orotracheal is tooth brushing (mechanical removal) and washing the oral cavity and the orotracheal tube (TOT) with digluconate solution chlorhexidine (CLX). However, recent studies have demonstrated that the use of CLX in these conditions may expose the patient to a potential increased risk of mortality. Recent recommendations made by international bodies related to hospital biosafety no longer include the use of CLX in ICU oral hygiene routine. A question not yet answered in the literature is whether the absence of CLX in the critical patient's oral hygiene routine predisposes increased accumulation of dental plaque or microbial colonization related to the risk of systemic complications, such as pneumonia and sepsis. The cost-effectiveness of this protocol change also needs to be evaluated, as the withdrawal of CLX may result in changes in the risk profile morbidity and mortality during hospitalization. The present study aims to investigate whether brushing the oral cavity with mineral water changes the pattern of biofilm accumulation and clinical appearance of the oral mucosa in relation to brushing done with CLX. Microbiological analysis of the oropharyngeal biofilm and cost-effectiveness impact assessment will also be carried out.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

  • Chlorhexidine group: Oral hygiene will be carried out in accordance with the standard operating procedures already carried out for all patients admitted to the ICU. First, the secretion contained in the oral cavity will be aspirated with a suction probe or a dental sucker or the suction brush itself before starting the oral hygiene procedure. The hygiene process will begin by moistening the oral cavity, using non-sterile gauze soaked in filtered mineral water and applying it to the entire oral mucosa. Subsequently, the sucking toothbrush or oral swab should be moistened frequently with 0.12% chlorhexidine digluconate solution and proceed with cleaning the dental surfaces on their buccal, palatal and occlusal surfaces, moving towards the oral cavity and tongue, using the bristle part of the toothbrush; With the region opposite the dental bristles or oral swab, the 0.12% chlorhexidine solution will be applied to the oral mucosa, palate, tongue dorsum and orotracheal tube, always performing a postero-anterior movement and removing any dirt with the aid of moistened gauze . The oral cavity will be constantly vacuumed throughout the oral hygiene procedure. Finally, the lips will be lubricated with a standardized lip moisturizer. The procedure will be carried out every 8 hours, that is, three times a day.
  • Water group: The intervention group procedure will be carried out in the same way and frequency as the control group, however, replacing the 0.12% chlorhexidine solution with mineral water. Oral hygiene will be carried out by the nursing team, who will be blind to the indices to be evaluated. The team will be previously trained to carry out hygiene procedures by the ICU team of dental surgeons.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
70

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Brazil
    • São Paulo
      • São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil, 05652-900
        • Hospital israelita Albert Einstein

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • patients admitted to the adult ICU;
  • age over 18;
  • both sexes;
  • orotracheal intubation monitored from the first day;
  • absence of foci of infection in the oral cavity (periapical lesions,
  • periodontal abscesses, extensive cavities, opportunistic infections);
  • presence of at least five teeth per dental arch

Exclusion Criteria:

  • patients in whom oral hygiene is not possible;
  • patients extubated before 24 hours from baseline;
  • patients with foci of infection in the oral cavity present in the baseline moment;
  • patients who died before 24 hours from baseline;
  • patients whose guardians do not authorize the research to be carried out;
  • patients whose information about oral and general health and other study variables are not available in the medical record, are doubtful or not capable of collection.
  • patients after heart surgery
  • patients with reintubation

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Chlorhexidine
patients with oral hygiene performed with tooth brushing and washing with 0.12% chlorhexidine
Other: Oral care
The intervention group procedure will be carried out in the same way and frequency of the control group, however, replacing the chlorhexidine solution 0.12% for mineral water. Oral hygiene will be carried out by the nursing team, which will be blind to the indices to be evaluated. The team will be previously trained to carry out hygiene procedures by the team of ICU dental surgeons.
Sham Comparator: Water
patients with oral hygiene performed with tooth brushing and washing with filtered water.
Other: Oral care
The intervention group procedure will be carried out in the same way and frequency of the control group, however, replacing the chlorhexidine solution 0.12% for mineral water. Oral hygiene will be carried out by the nursing team, which will be blind to the indices to be evaluated. The team will be previously trained to carry out hygiene procedures by the team of ICU dental surgeons.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Analyze oral cavity brushing
Time Frame: T0 (baseline) - first day of intubation; • T1 - after 3 days of intubation or immediately after extubation (with a minimum of 1 day of intubation); • T2 - after 7 days of intubation (if you still remain intubated).
Analyze oral cavity brushing done with mineral water in the ICU in regarding the accumulation of biofilm and the appearance of the oral mucosa and compare these variables with brushing done with CLX.
T0 (baseline) - first day of intubation; • T1 - after 3 days of intubation or immediately after extubation (with a minimum of 1 day of intubation); • T2 - after 7 days of intubation (if you still remain intubated).

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
University of Sao Paulo

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Fernanda de P Eduardo, Hospital israelita Albert Einstein

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
March 15, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
October 31, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 31, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 7, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 7, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 11, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 17, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 16, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
March 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 5736-23

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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