2026 Volume 40 Issue 3 Pages 178-182
Introduction：This study investigated the underlying disease present at the time of the initial consultation for older patients who visited our department with chief complaints related to articulation and eating/swallowing functions, which are typical oral functions. We referred patients to the appropriate specialist department in cases where the underlying disease was unknown.
Methods：The subjects were 286 older patients who visited our department for the first time between 2017 and 2023 with chief complaints related to articulation and eating/swallowing functions. We used medical records to investigate the following：
1）the referring medical institution
2）the underlying disease diagnosed at the initial consultation
3）the underlying disease that was initially unknown but became apparent during treatment
Results and Discussion：Half of the patients（143）had an unknown underlying disease at the time of their initial consultation. Of these patients, 36 had no abnormalities and 44 had functional impairment or decline, but the underlying disease remained unknown. Additionally, 63 patients had functional impairment, and the cause was identified upon referral to a specialist department. Most of these cases were neurodegenerative or gastrointestinal disorders. It is therefore considered important to investigate the cause and collaborate with medical departments because systemic diseases may be discovered through dental visits, even if the cause of symptoms related to articulation and swallowing is unknown.
