Introduction: Oral hygiene is an important component of comprehensive care for patients in the intensive care unit, particularly those who are intubated and mechanically ventilated. Appropriate, regular, and professionally performed oral care contributes to the prevention of complications and improved treatment outcomes. Aim: To investigate the importance of oral hygiene in intubated patients, its impact on the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia, the effectiveness of different oral care protocols, devices and antiseptic agents, and the role of nurses in providing oral care. Methods: We used a descriptive research method based on a review of scientific and professional literature in Slovenian and English. The literature search was conducted in the CINAHL, MEDLINE/PubMed, and SpringerLink databases, as well as through Google Scholar and the Digital Library of the University of Ljubljana. Predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied during the literature selection process. The final analysis included ten articles published between 2016 and 2026 that addressed oral hygiene in intubated patients. Results: The literature review showed that oral hygiene plays an important role in reducing bacterial colonisation of the oral cavity and may contribute to the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia. Recent studies have not clearly demonstrated the benefits of routine chlorhexidine use in reducing the incidence of pneumonia, mortality, or duration of mechanical ventilation. Greater effectiveness was observed with standardised oral care protocols that included mechanical plaque removal, regular assessment of the oral cavity, suctioning of secretions, and moisturising of the oral mucosa. Discussion and Conclusion: Oral hygiene is an important component of nursing care for intubated patients and contributes to the prevention of complications associated with mechanical ventilation. Consistent implementation of a comprehensive oral care protocol appears to be more important for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia than the choice of an individual antiseptic solution. Nurses play an important role in this process by regularly assessing the oral cavity and professionally performing oral care procedures, thereby contributing to the quality of nursing care and the safety of critically ill patients. Further research is needed to develop consistent recommendations regarding the selection of appropriate oral care solutions and procedures for intubated patients, which could contribute to the standardisation of oral care practices and improved quality of nursing care for critically ill patients.
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