Why you should read this article:

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To be aware of the barriers to and facilitators of integration of oral care into nursing practice in care homes

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To learn about some of the measures that may support nurses to implement high-quality oral care in their practice

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To consider the role of nurse oral care champion as an approach to enhancing the delivery of oral care

This article details a narrative review that explored the barriers to and facilitators of integration of oral care into nursing practice in care homes to enhance nurses’ delivery of oral care. Three themes were identified: gaps in oral care protocols and the complexity of nursing oral care; how interprofessional collaboration and education can improve oral care; and limitations and unresolved issues in nurses’ oral care training.

The review found that interprofessional collaboration and education were important in normalising oral care practice and nurse leadership in care homes. Nurse-led interprofessional oral care could enhance the quality of care in care homes by advancing interprofessional collaboration and education, coordinating care and improving organisational support.