Medicina · Published 2026-08-05 · DOI 10.3390/medicina62081506
Jihion Yu, Hee Yeong Kim, Young Joo Seo, Young-Kug Kim
<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Major burn injury causes systemic immune dysregulation and increases susceptibility to infectious complications. While poor oral health is a potential reservoir for respiratory pathogens, its impact on burn patients—who often require repeated airway manipulation—is not well-defined. This study investigated the association between preoperative dental status and postoperative pneumonia in patients undergoing burn surgery. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 894 adult patients (≥19 years) admitted to a burn intensive care unit (ICU) between 2015 and 2024. Preoperative dental status was categorized as favorable or unfavorable (≥2 missing teeth, loose teeth, or fractured teeth). The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative pneumonia. Secondary outcomes included 90-day hospital-free days and ICU-free days. <i>Results</i>: Postoperative pneumonia occurred in 294 patients (32.9%). The incidence of postoperative pneumonia was 47.7% among patients with unfavorable preoperative dental status, compared with 31.2% among those with favorable preoperative dental status (<i>p</i> < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, unfavorable dental status was an independent predictor of 30-day pneumonia (odds ratio, 1.681; 95% confidence interval, 1.084–2.599; <i>p</i> = 0.018). Patients with unfavorable status also had significantly fewer 90-day hospital-free days (9 vs. 22 days, <i>p</i> = 0.034) and ICU-free days (65 vs. 68 days, <i>p</i> = 0.012). <i>Conclusions</i>: Unfavorable preoperative dental status is independently associated with an increased risk of postoperative pneumonia and poorer clinical recovery in burn patients. Routine dental assessment may serve as a simple tool for perioperative risk stratification in patients undergoing burn surgery.
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
Read the article at the publisher →
Yu, J., Kim, H., Seo, Y., et al. (2026). Dental Status and 30-Day Postoperative Pneumonia in Burn Surgery Patients. Medicina. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina62081506