Effect Of Aloe Vera Mouthwash On Dental Plaque Index In Patients With Endotracheal Tube Hospitalized In Intensive Care Unite

Introduction: Oral health is an important aspect of caring for hospitalized patients in intensive care unit (ICU). Typically, 48 hours after admission to Intensive care unit, there is a change in mouth flora and dental plaque will be created subsequently. These events make an ideal environment for microbial growth. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Aloe Vera mouthwash on dental plaque index in patients with tracheal intubation at ICU.Material and Methods: This randomized double blind trail was performed on 79 patients with Tracheal intubation at ICU. Data were gathered using purposive sampling. Participant divided in to the two groups. The experimental group received Aloe Vera mouth wash and control group received Normal Saline mouth wash. The study period was four days. O'leary Plaque index used for collecting data. Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Chi square, paired t-test and independent t-test were used for analyzing data by SPSS 20.Result: The experimental and control groups had similar characteristics except gender. The experimental dental plaque index (56.58 +/- 11.91) and Control dental plaque index (56.04 +/- 10.46) were similar. The dental plaque index had a significant decrease in experimental group (57.51 +/- 9.08) comparing to the control group (62.46 +/- 9.46).Conclusion: Aloe Vera mouth wash along with tooth brushing have a significant effect on reducing dental plaque index.