Oral care is an important part of basic clinical nursing practice. The correct selection of oral care solution is a key link to ensure the effectiveness of oral care. In clinical nursing practice, sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) solution is used in oral care to maintain an alkaline environment in the oral cavity and inhibit fungal infections.
Application methods of sodium bicarbonate in oral care
NaHCO3 The solution is safe and effective for oral care. The application method is more flexible, including concentration selection, cleaning method, frequency of use, etc.
1. Concentration selection:
The concentration of NaHCO3 solution in oral care is 1% to 4% in “Basic Aluminum Magnesium Carbonate Nursing”, but clinical practice often depends on the condition and individual According to experience, the concentration can be selected from 1%, 1.25%, 2%, 2.5%, 3%, 4%, and 5%. The difference between different concentrations remains to be discussed.
2. Thienopyridine cleaning methods:
When using NaHCO3 solution for oral care, the commonly used cleaning methods are wiping, gargling, oral rinsing and combined cleaning. Basically the same as using other oral care solutions.
(1) Wiping method: The wiping method is suitable for most patients who cannot clean their mouths by themselves, such as critically ill children and comatose patients. However, this method has dead spots for cleaning, and it cannot clean areas such as gaps between teeth that cannot be touched by cotton balls.
(2) Gargling method: Gargling method is suitable for patients who are awake and have certain self-care ability.
(3) Oral irrigation method: Oral irrigation method is suitable for patients who are unable to gargle by themselves, such as comatose patients, neonatal patients, and patients using mechanical ventilation. Most of these patients are unable to eat orally and have little saliva secretion in the mouth. Secretions and residues tend to adhere to the tongue surface and oral mucosa, making them difficult to remove by wiping or gargling. When rinsing the mouth, water flows in the mouth and can moisten the mouth. It can shed secretions attached to the tongue surface and mucous membranes, clean areas that are usually difficult to reach, and reduce aspiration by patients.
(4) Combined cleaning method: At present, there are mainly wiping combined with rinsing method, wiping combined with gargling method, that is, wiping method is combined with rinsing or gargling to clean the mouth. This method can solve the problem of wiping method at the same time. There are problems with cleaning dead corners and insufficient cleaning power with flushing and gargling.
The application effect of sodium bicarbonate in oral care
1. Control of oral infection: Patients have damage to the oral mucosal barrier due to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, limiting oral administration. Oral infections are very likely to occur due to factors such as reduced salivary secretion due to eating, and the use of antibiotics and inhaled corticosteroids that disrupt the balance of oral flora. Based on the antifungal and plaque inhibitory effects of NaHCO3, NaHCO3 can be used as an oral care solution to prevent infection. For patients with low immunity, NaHCO3 solution can be used to gargle prophylactically to prevent oral fungal infections. NaHCO3 should also be used to maintain an alkaline oral environment and use its synergistic effect to control existing fungal infections.
2. Improve oral thirst: Patients often experience oral thirst due to diseases, special treatments (radiotherapy), food restriction (water), artificial ventilation, etc., which affects their comfort. The dissolving effect of NaHCO3 on salivary mucin can reduce the viscosity of saliva and improve the thirsty feeling in the mouth.
3. Reduce oral odor: Oral odor is related to the degree of oral cleanliness, thick and greasy oral tongue coating, volatile sulfur compounds, etc., which often makes people feel unpleasant and affects the patient’s comfort and social interaction. Activities have an impact. Using NaHCO3 solution for oral care can clean the patient’s mouth and improve the thick and greasy tongue coating, thereby helping to eliminate bad breath.
Source: Chinese Modern Nursing Magazine
