The significance of oral care in dysphagia patients

Abstract

As society ages the number of dysphagia patients and elderly people who cannot independently manage oral care will also increase. Maintaining or improving proper swallowing and oral functions is an important issue from the perspective of retaining quality of life (QOL) and motivation in living. Dysphagia patients are susceptible to aspiration pneumonia, and are also more likely to be malnourished. Oral care for dysphagia patients does not involve simply cleaning the oral cavity, but also preventing aspiration pneumonia, which can be fatal. At the same time, it is related to improving eating and swallowing function and preventing dehydration and malnutrition. It is therefore very important from the perspective of improving QOL. Mechanical stimulation in oral care also plays a role as indirect training in eating and swallowing rehabilitation. The significance of oral care therefore lies in three points: (1) preventing aspiration pneumonia, (2) preventing malnutrition, and (3) indirect training in eating and swallowing rehabilitation. An oral care system of standardized oral care that can be completed in 5 minutes is promising as an effective means of oral rehabilitation.