Abstract
Here, we would like to report a case of improved oral and eating/swallowing function, as a result of continued specialized oral care, and eating/swallowing training at home for an extended period. At the start of treatment, the patient, a 2 years 6 months old girl, received a tracheotomy, and all nutrition was received from nasal feeding tube.
Regarding intraoral conditions, strong breath odor caused by gingival inflammation and calculus deposition throughout the entire jaw, and halitosis caused by a coated tongue were observed. Specialized oral care by a dental hygienist was carried out twice a month, and consisted of brushing, removal of dental calculus, cleaning of the lingual mucosa, application of fluoride, eating/swallowing training, etc. After one year, mouth irritation was reduced, and she became possible to eat small amounts of jelly. When she was 9 years old, oral ingestion of pastes and foods processed by a blender once a day, became possible. In this case, continuing specialized oral care, and eating/swallowing training for 6 years at home in a relaxed environment, is assumed to have led to improvement in eating/swallowing function. Even for children with severe motor and intellectual disabilities, and who have received a tracheotomy and are unable to orally ingest foods, improvement in eating/swallowing function is thought possible by positive efforts in eating/swallowing rehabilitation centered specialized oral care.
