Effectiveness of mint leaves extract on thirst intensity and oral health status among intubated patients admitted in selected critical care units of GGSMC & H, Faridkot: An interventional study

Abstract

Context: Thirst and poor oral hygiene is one of the major problem, arising because the intubation prevents the patients from drinking when they have the urge to do so. The intubation causes dryness of the oral cavity and infections which include bacterial and fungal infections which may proceed towards complications of oral cavity and can lead to various life threatening conditions. Mint leaves extract have found to have cooling effect as well as antibacterial, antifungal, antineoplastic effect to prevent various infections.Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of mint leaves extract on thirst intensity and oral health status among intubated patients admitted in selected critical care units. The objective was to assess the pre and post interventional level of thirst and oral health status and to compare the level of thirst intensity and oral health status among interventional and conventional group.Methodology: A quantitative research approach was used to carry out a randomized control trial to assess the effectiveness of mint leaves extract on thirst intensity and oral health status among intubated patients. A convenient sampling was used to select 60 subjects and randomly allocated 30 in each interventional and conventional group as per inclusion and exclusion criteria. Self-structured socio-demographic profile sheet, clinical profile sheet, Assessment sheets for thirst intensity using Numerical rating scale and standardised Oral Health Assessment Tool (modified from Kayser-Jones et al. (1995) by Chalmers 2000) for oral health status assessment was used to assess the variables under study.Results: The study revealed that out of 60 subjects, the mean age was 42.6 ± 11.313. More than half subjects were male (66.6%), married (83.3%), non-working (51.6%). As per pre interventional assessment of thirst most of (96.7%) were having severe level of thirst in interventional group and (86.6%) conventional group. While post intervention, more than half (63.3%) had moderate thirst and (36.6%) had mild thirst in interventional group but conventional group had severe (96.6%) and moderate (3.33%). The pre-interventional assessment of oral health status of both the interventional and conventional group had majority (86.6%) and (76.6%) in the unhealthy category respectively while the post intervention assessment of the oral health status in the interventional group was (73.3%) in changed category and (23.3%) in the healthy category and conventional group had (86.6%) in the unhealthy category. As per the thirst intensity and oral health status the effectiveness of mint leaves extract was significant at p< 0.05 among the interventional groups.Conclusion: The study concluded that mint leaves extract was effective in reducing the thirst level and improving the oral health status among intubated patients in the ICUs.