Abstract
To improve feeding and swallowing, a high-specialty functional therapy, which mainly focuses on thedecreased functions due to advanced age, is under development. In the present study, a 12-week programto improve the oral function was performed by using simplified tools. The aim was to develop a novel system for improving the oral function in care-required aged persons with decreased feeding and swallowingcapacities.
Eighteen residents in a special nursing home for the aged in the Metropolitan area (mean age: 83.5±8.4yrs) took part in a simplified program for improving the oral function. The program was performed once a day for 12 weeks using Li-tre meter® (Oral Academy Co.) and Chewing-brush® (Fujiwara Dental Industry Co.). Five items including maximum occlusion force, maximum labial pressure, salivary secretion at rest, salivary secretion at stimulation and oral diadochokinesis were measured before and 4, 8 and 12 weeks after intervention. In addition, a statistical analysis was performed on the improvement rate of each item in relation to the patient's systemic status.
As compared with the pre-intervention values, an improvement was observed in all items examined, with a significant difference noted in the maximum labial pressure and salivary secretion at stimulation after intervention. Concerning the improvement rate in relation to the systemic status, however, almost no significant relationship was found in the items examined. The above results, show that this program result-ed in a fixed functional improvement. Furthermore, the results suggest that, based on the analysis of the improvement rate in relation to the systemic status, the improvement of oral function could be expected irrespective of the patient's characteristics such as age.
