Introduction Healthcare professionals working in hospitals often have inadequate training in supporting patients with mouth care, which is one reason oral health deteriorates in hospitalised patients.

Aim The aim of this service evaluation is to assess the main reasons healthcare professionals request advice from the mouth care lead nurse and identify common trends.

Method Data were collected for patients referred to the mouth care lead between 2020-2022, including age, sex, reason for referral, outcome and whether the patient needed redirecting to a dentist or doctor.

Results A total of 204 referrals were analysed and 93% of patients referred were aged over 65 years of age. The most common reason for hospital admission was cancer (14%), followed by falls (9%) and stroke (7%). The most common reasons for mouth care referral were dry mouth (43%), poor oral hygiene (15%) and loose dentures (14%). Overall, 62% patients were deceased within a year of the referral.

Conclusion This evaluation shows there is value in having a dedicated mouth care lead nurse who can provide training to staff when required for individual patients. Inpatients tend to be older, often in their last year of life, and there is a need to focus training on dry mouth.