Study: Oral Hygiene Problems Could Be a Factor in Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia

A yearlong study by California State University and Sutter Medical Center found that 10 patients who were not on ventilators contracted pneumonia while in the hospital, possibly in part because of bacteria buildup in their mouths. Non-ventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia has been largely unreported because patients who are on ventilators are more at risk for the illness.

• "Sacramento Study Finds Oral Hygiene To Be a Factor in Hospital Pneumonia Cases" (Caiola, Sacramento Bee, 2/22).