J Korean Assoc Oral Maxillofac Surg.  2024 Dec;50(6):333-342. 10.5125/jkaoms.2024.50.6.333.

Assessment of oral health status in intensive care unit patients using quantitative light-induced fluorescence: a multicenter cross-sectional study

• Kim Y
• Jun MK

• KMID: 2563961
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5125/jkaoms.2024.50.6.333

Abstract

Objectives
The aim of this study was to evaluate oral hygiene using quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) and to compare its results with those of oral examination to determine the applicability of QLF technology for assessing oral health status and oral hygiene in intensive care unit (ICU) patients.
Materials and Methods
We analyzed oral health status, oral examination findings, oral hygiene evaluations using QLF technology, and dry mouth in a sample of 70 hospitalized ICU patients. The relationship between oral hygiene assessments using QLF technology and oral examinations was analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients.
Results
The average participant age was 62.16 years, and the average ICU hospitalization period was 144.94 days. Oral hygiene assessments based on QLF and examination showed a significant positive correlation with the red fluorescence intensity of oral biofilm and number of teeth requiring extraction.
Conclusion
Oral hygiene evaluations of hospitalized ICU patients using QLF technology were confirmed and classified based on the red fluorescence intensity of oral biofilm. Increases in red fluorescence intensity and distribution area were correlated with the number of teeth requiring extraction.

Keyword

Intensive care units; Oral care; Oral health; Oral hygiene assessment; Quantitative light-induced fluorescence technology

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Representative images of quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) scoring system for tongue coating. A, B. QLF tongue coating score 0 (no red fluorescence visible). C, D. QLF tongue coating score 1 (red fluorescence slight glow extending around dorsal surface of tongue). E, F. Tongue coating score 2 (red fluorescence strong glow extending around dorsal surface of tongue). A, C, E. White-light image of QLF. B, D, F. Fluorescence image of QLF.

• 

  Fig. 2 Representative images of quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) scoring system for oral biofilm used for buccal tooth surface. A, B. QLF oral biofilm score 0 (no red fluorescence visible). C, D. QLF oral biofilm score 1 (red fluorescence liner glow extending around surface of tooth). E, F. Oral biofilm score 2 (red fluorescence within 1/3 of the coronal portion glow extending around surface of tooth). G, H. Oral biofilm score 3 (red fluorescence over 1/3 of the coronal portion glow extending around surface of tooth). A ,C, E, G. White-light image of QLF. B, D, F, H. Fluorescence image of QLF.

• 

  Fig. 3 Oral moisture measuring device. A. Oral moisture measuring device body (Mucus, approval number: 22200BZX00640000; Life). B. Oral mucosa and tongue contact sensors.

Reference

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