Mouth care after stroke

Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability in the UK. 70% of strokes occur in adults older than 65 years of age. Oral health and mouth care are usually forgotten, but are important aspects of care. Studies have highlighted the poor state of oral health in patients after stroke and poor knowledge of oral-care procedures among nursing staff throughout the UK. Despite previous evidence linking poor mouth care with risk of carotid stenosis, stroke-related functional disability, and aspiration pneumonia, oral care is still not perceived as a priority. This review aims to address the importance of mouth care after stroke in preventing infectious complications, and to highlight the current poor knowledge among nursing staff in providing adequate oral care and the need for high quality trials to evaluate effectiveness of oral healthcare interventions.