Table 4 The improvement of oral symptom scores before and after oral care interventions in end-of-life patients with advanced cancers

   (+)

47.1%^a

11.8%^b

0.0%^b

0.003*

   (−)

52.9%

88.2%

100.0%

   (+)

68.8%^a

37.5%^b

43.8%

0.015*

   (−)

31.3%

62.5%

56.3%

   (+)

17.6%

5.9%

0.0%

0.097

   (−)

82.4%

94.1%

100.0%

   SOD

41.2%

35.3%

29.4%

0.741

   NOD

58.8%

64.7%

70.6%

   (+)

63.6%^a

27.3%

9.1%^b

0.009*

   (−)

36.4%

72.7%

90.9%

   Severe

52.9%^a

5.9%^b

11.8%^b

0.001*

   Mild

47.1%

94.1%

88.2%

  Tongue coating index

(0.3–0.7)

(0.1–0.3)

(0.1–0.5)

0.065

  Total scores

(6.0–9.0)^a

(1.0–4.0)^b

(0.0–4.0)^b

< 0.001*

   Lips

(1.0–2.0)^a

(0.0–0.5)^b

(0.0–0.0)^b

< 0.001*

   Tongue

(1.0–1.5)^a

(0.0–1.0)

(0.0–1.0)^b

0.003*

   Gums and tissues

(1.5–2.0)^a

(1.0–1.0)^b

(1.0–1.0)^b

< 0.001*

   Saliva

(1.0–2.0)^a

(0.0–1.0)

(0.0–1.0)^b

0.001*

   Natural teeth

(0.0–2.0)

(0.0–2.0)

(0.0–2.0)

1.000

   Dentures

(0.0–2.0)

(0.0–1.5)

(0.0–1.5)

0.368

   Oral cleanliness

(1.0–2.0)^a

(0.0–1.0)

(0.0–1.0)^b

0.002*

   Dental pain

(0.0–0.0)

(0.0–0.0)

(0.0–0.0)

0.368

  Abnormal

82.4%

76.5%

70.6%

0.549

  Normal

17.6%

23.5%

29.4%

  (+)

62.5%

81.3%

81.3%

0.165

  (−)

37.5%

18.8%

18.8%

 MMO

(2.5–4.0)

(2.0–3.8)

(3.0–3.5)

0.731