The MC3 is an ergonomically designed Class 1 medical device for use in delivering safe mouth care. Unlike brushes, it cleans the tissues and collects debris simultaneously and unlike sponge swabs, the cleaning head of the MC3 will not detach and form a safety hazard.

The MC3 was developed following a medical safety alert from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency involving the use of foam mouth swabs. A foam head had detached from the stick of an oral swab while a carer was providing mouth care to an elderly patient. The foam head could not be retrieved and the patient subsequently died. Over 800 patient safety incidents have been reported by The National Patient Safety Agency where the foam head had either become detached or pieces of the foam head were torn off and retained or lodged in the mouth. Foam mouth swabs have now been banned across Wales and many Healthcare Trusts across England.

The MC3 can be used safely with ventilated patients at risk of contracting ventilated associated pneumonia (VAP). MC3 is for those people who depend on or require assistance for mouth care and for people where conventional methods such as toothbrushes and sponge swabs are not suitable.

MC3 can be used to cleanse the soft tissues inside or around the mouth for a wide range of people, including the edentulous. It can be used wet or dry to lubricate and moisten the lips and mouth with water, water based gels and mouth rinses; clean a coated tongue; remove retained food and debris from the mouth; remove sticky tenacious secretions, crusty plugs on the palate and stringy saliva; and aid oral densensitisation for patients with special requirements and learning disabilities.

The MC3 is suitable for use by any healthcare professional in hospitals, care, nursing and residential homes, hospices, community health and social service teams and in dental practices.

For more details contact Linton Whyte on 07877 547762 or lintonwhyte@live.co.uk.