Objective: Mouth dryness is one of the most prevalent problems in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). It facilitates dental plaque formation. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of Aloe vera-Peppermint (Veramin) moisturizing gel on mouth dryness and oral health among patients hospitalized in ICUs.
Methods: This triple-blind two-group randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial was undertaken in 2016-2017 on a convenient sample of 80 patients. Patients were randomly allocated to an intervention and a placebo group. Oral care for patients in the intervention and the placebo groups was provided for 5 successive days using Veramin moisturizing gel and a placebo gel, respectively. Data were collected at the 1st, 3rd, and 5th days of the study using a demographic and clinical characteristics questionnaire, the Challacombe scale (for mouth dryness assessment), and the Mucosal-Plaque Index (for oral health assessment). The Chi-square, Fisher Exact, Mann-Whitney U, and Friedman tests were used for data analysis.
Findings: In the 5th day, the mean score of mouth dryness in the intervention group was significantly lower than the placebo group (P = 0.0001). On the other hand, in the third and the 5th days, the oral health mean score in the intervention group was significantly lower than the placebo group (P = 0.0001).
Conclusion: Veramin moisturizing gel is effective in significantly relieving mouth dryness, preventing dental plaque formation, and improving oral health. Thus, it can be used for improving oral care outcomes in ICUs.
Keywords: Aloe vera; Mentha piperita; oral health; xerostomia.