How to undertake effective mouth care in adults who require support (2025)

Rationale and key points

Optimal oral health is essential at all stages of life, to enable individuals to eat and speak without discomfort, and to socialise, thereby contributing to their general health, well-being and quality of life. Effective daily mouth care for people who require support is essential to prevent deterioration in oral health and general health and should be part of their overall care.

This How to article details the preparation, equipment and procedure involved in undertaking mouth care in adults. The article also provides an overview of mouth care in patients who are intubated, neurodivergent people and/or those with cognitive impairment or learning disabilities, and those receiving end of life care. Nurses undertaking mouth care must have the knowledge and skills needed to do so safely and effectively, and work within their competence level.

• Inadequate mouth care can lead to dehydration and malnutrition, while a dry mouth creates an ideal environment for fungus or bacteria to become dominant pathogens within the oral cavity, adversely affecting the person’s appetite, creating soreness within the oral cavity and leading to a general decline in health.

• Maintaining a healthy, functioning mouth and routinely removing food debris can reduce the risk of choking and/or aspiration pneumonia, particularly in people with dementia and/or dysphagia.

• All healthcare professionals should seek to promote oral health and have an understanding of the link between optimal oral health and general health, and be able to explain this to patients; it is also vital that nurses are aware of current evidence and best practice in oral hygiene.

Reflective activity

‘How to’ articles can help to update your practice and ensure it remains evidence-based. Apply this article to your practice. Reflect on and write a short account of:

• How this article might improve your practice when providing mouth care.

• How you could use this information to educate nursing students or colleagues about appropriate methods for providing effective, person-centred mouth care.