Table 1.

Baseline characteristics

Characteristics	Number of patients	Percentage
Gender
Female	27	54%
Male	23	46%
Nutritional status
Nil by mouth	34	65%
Oral	12	24%
Enteral	3	6%
Parenteral	1	2%
Dependency of oral care
Dependent	28	56%
Independent	22	44%
Type of ventilation
Nasal	31	62%
Endotracheal	12	24%
Self-ventilated	4	8%
Facemask	3	6%
Medications
Antibiotics	38	76%
Antacids	33	66%
Antifungals	3	6%