Flora colonization and oral care in high-risk newborns.

PURPOSE: A randomized intervention study was conducted to explore the impact of oral care with sterile normal saline to oral flora colonization of high-risk newborns at the third day after birth.

DESIGN AND METHODS: Ninety-two newborns were allocated to either intervention or control group. After obtaining oral secretion for prepoint data, the intervention group received oral care with sterile normal saline only. Oral secretions for postpoint data were obtained 8 hr after the prepoint. Total 179 specimens were obtained during the study period.

RESULTS: Among the total 92 newborns, 44.6% were female and 57.6% were premature. Mean gestational age and weight was 35.9 ± 3.2 weeks and 2,545 ± 697.5 g. The most common colonized flora included Streptococcus (26.3%), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA, 16.2%), and coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CNS, 13.4%). The oral care with normal saline did not change the number of flora type of newborns. The statistic results were not significant by group (F = 0.918, p = 0.514), time (F = 0.322, p = 0.672), and the interaction between time and group (F = 0.519, p = 0.472).

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Oral care with sterile saline did not change oral flora colonization among high-risk newborns at early period of life. This intervention can be safely delivered to high-risk newborns when they are at risk of infection and particularly breast milk is not available.