Effect of Diluted Thyme Honey On Dry Mouth In Intensive Care Unit Patients Exposed to Oxygen Flow Therapy

This research is a randomized, controlled, double-blind, experimental study conducted to investigate the effect of diluted thyme honey on dry mouth in individuals receiving treatment in intensive care and receiving nasal oxygen flow therapy.

H0: There is no significant difference in reducing dry mouth in intensive care patients receiving nasal oxygen flow therapy between the intervention group receiving oral care with diluted thyme honey and the control group receiving standard oral care.

The study sample consisted of 64 inpatients receiving nasal oxygen flow therapy in the Emergency Intensive Care and Emergency Critical Intensive Care Units of Ankara Training and Research Hospital. Patients were divided into groups using a sealed envelope method. Patients in the intervention group received oral care using diluted thyme honey, while patients in the control group received oral care using 0.9% NaCl.

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Key information

Conditions

Nursing Care Mouth Diseases Salivary Gland Diseases Stomatognathic Diseases Xerostomia

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Ankara University Institute of Health Sciences Department of Nursing

Ankara, Dışkapı, 6070, Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

SUMMARY

Backround Dry mouth due to nasal oxygen flow therapy is one of the side effects frequently experienced by patients treated in intensive care units. Although there are various pharmacological and complementary medicine methods for the prevention and treatment of dry mouth, this condition continues to negatively affect the daily lives of patients due to the lack of a definitive method and the neglect of oral care.

Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of diluted thyme honey in preventing dry mouth in intensive care patients receiving nasal oxygen flow therapy.

Desing This study has a randomized controlled experimental design.

Methods This study included 64 intensive care unit patients receiving nasal oxygen flow therapy. It was a randomized controlled experimental study consisting of intervention (thyme honey) and control group (0.9% NaCl). Participants were randomized to the groups by closed envelope method. 32 patients were included in both groups. Patients in both groups included in the study underwent the same protocol steps except for the oral care product (thyme honey and 0.9% NaCl). After obtaining consent from the patients who agreed to be included in the study, information about the participants was collected by asking the Patient Information Form prepared by the researcher. The Subjective Dry Mouth Form was administered to the participants before the start of the study and at the end of the 3rd day when the application protocols were completed. After the applications were completed, the pre-test and post-test scores of the patients in response to each question in the 'Subjective Dry Mouth Evaluation Form' and their answers to an open-ended question about their opinions on thyme honey in the Patient Information Form were combined in the patient follow-up form.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Being treated under intensive care conditions and receiving nasal oxygen flow therapy above 4L/min,
Over 18 years of age,
Not diagnosed with Sjögren's Syndrome,
No previous exposure to radiotherapy or chemotherapy,
Has not had a salivary gland infection,
Has not undergone an operation to remove the salivary glands,
Not allergic to honey,
No chewing or swallowing difficulties,
Not using thyme-containing products for oral care in the previous period,
Patients who did not have any communication problems and who voluntarily agreed to participate in the study were included in the study

Exclusion criteria

Patients who did not meet the inclusion criteria and did not voluntarily agree to participate in the study were excluded.

Treatment and study plan

diluted thyme honey arm

Other

In this study, the feasibility of an alternative method for alleviating dry mouth, which is very important in terms of nursing care, was investigated. The effect of diluted thyme honey, which had not been previously studied, on dry mouth was investigated in intensive care patients receiving nasal oxygen flow therapy in the intervention group. The control group received oral care using a standard oral care solution of 0.9% NaCl.

Mouth wash

Other

In this study, the usability of an alternative method for the elimination of dry mouth, which has a very important place in terms of nursing care, was investigated. The effect of diluted thyme honey on dry mouth in intensive care patients receiving nasal oxygen flow therapy, which has not been previously studied in the literature, was investigated.

Primary outcomes

The Effect of Diluted Thyme Honey on Dry Mouth in Intensive Care Patients Receiving Nasal Oxygen Flow Therapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Time frame: 9 week

The Subjective Dry Mouth Assessment Form was used to assess dry mouth. This form includes questions regarding symptoms such as "dry mouth," "difficulty swallowing," "difficulty speaking," "waking up from sleep," "dry tongue," "burning mouth," "burning throat," "dry throat," "thirst," "bad taste in the mouth," "saliva volume," and "bad breath." Responses are scored on a 0-10 scale using 11 Visual Analogue Scales (VAS). Scoring begins with 0 (not at all) and ends with 10 (extremely).

The Subjective Dry Mouth Assessment Form was administered to patients before the study began to gather patient information and determine their dry mouth levels. At the end of the third day, the Subjective Dry Mouth Assessment Form was administered to the patients, who underwent three days of treatment, and their dry mouth was re-evaluated. Data on the patients' dry mouth levels were collected before and after the study.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Esra Yaprak Gokturk

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Effect of Diluted Thyme Honey On Dry Mouth In Intensive Care Unit Patients Exposed to Oxygen Flow Therapy: A Randomized Controlled Study

Important dates

Study start: 2022
Primary completion: 2022
Study completion: 2022
First posted: Jan 22, 2026
Registry last updated: Jan 22, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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Completed