Objective: to analyze the oral hygiene care for hospitalized elderly patients provided by the nursing staff.
Method: this is a qualitative, exploratory-descriptive study carried out in a university hospital, with the participation of 35 professionals from the nursing staff. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews, explored through thematic content analysis.
Results: two categories emerged: The oral hygiene of hospitalized elderly patients as an extension of body care and Barriers in (lack of) care with the oral hygiene of hospitalized elderly patients, with two subcategories: The oral hygiene and dental prosthesis technique performed divergently; Care hampered by deficit of materials and human resources.
Final considerations: this study showed weaknesses in the oral hygiene care of hospitalized elderly patients, promoting reflections on the practice informed in data and management actions, allowing recommendations of care standards for the nursing staff.