뇌졸중 환자에서 통합 구강관리의 효과 : 전문가 구강위생관리 단독 중재와 증례 비교

Abstract

Objective: Patients with stroke often face difficulty performing oral self-care because of impaired physical and cognitive functions, leading to poor oral health and increased risk of complications such as aspiration pneumonia. This study aimed to compare two patients with stroke who received different professional oral care interventions to evaluate changes in oral health indicators and assess their clinical significance. Methods: Two patients received weekly interventions for eight weeks, with oral health assessments at five time points. Case 1 received only professional oral hygiene care, whereas case 2 received integrated care, including oral hygiene, oral massage, orofacial exercises, and tongue-strengthening training using a device developed by the research team. Oral health was assessed using the revised oral assessment guide, oral moisture tester, Winkel tongue coating index, plaque pH, and tongue pressure. Results: Both cases showed improved oral health, with more pronounced improvement in case 2. The oral moisture score increased from 26.17 to 27.20, reaching the normal range, and tongue pressure improved from 20.20 kPa to 36.40 kPa. Conclusions: Professional oral care interventions improved oral health in patients with stroke. The integrated approach, which yielded superior clinical outcomes, shows potential to prevent aspiration pneumonia and improve feeding and swallowing function.