The effect of oxygen administration on oral temperature assessment.

No research data are available on the effects of oxygen on oral temperature. This study sought to determine if oxygen administration via aerosol mask, venti-mask, or nasal prongs altered oral temperature as assessed in the sublingual pockets of the mouth. The population included 40 healthy male and female volunteers. Oxygen was administered using a repeated measure design with the subjects serving as their own controls and the oxygen devices presented in a counterbalanced order. An electronic thermometer recorded the temperature at the end of each 15-minute treatment/control period. There was no significant difference between the pre- and post-treatment measurements of the aerosol mask, venti-mask, and nasal prongs. The conclusion was that oral temperature assessed in the presence of oxygen administration is no different than oral temperature assessed without oxygen administration.