2025 Volume 39 Issue 4 Pages 216-224
Purpose:Tongue pressure is a significant indicator of food intake, and an association with nutritional status has been suggested. This study aimed to clarify the association between tongue pressure and nutritional status in outpatients of a dental clinic.
Methods:151 first-time outpatients aged 65 or older(mean age:80.5 years, 95 males and 56 females)visited a dental clinic specializing in dysphagia rehabilitation between January 2018 and December 2020. Patients’data on general characteristics, maximum tongue pressure, and functional teeth were collected from dental medical records. As for nutritional items, the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form(MNA-SF)score, a risk assessment tool for malnutrition, was collected.
Results:A dose-response association was observed with MNA-SF scores decreasing stepwise as tongue pressure decreased(p<0.001). Patients with lower tongue pressure had significantly lower MNA-SF scores even after multivariate adjustment.
Conclusion:Tongue pressure measurement in dental practice may allow early identification of malnutrition. Further research is needed on whether nutritional interventions for patients with decreased tongue pressure will prevent malnutrition and improve nutrition status.