Journal of Health Care and Research

Journal of Health Care and Research [ISSN: 2582-8967]

Morisaki Naoko^1*
1Himeji University, School of Nursing, Japan

Corresponding Author: Morisaki Naoko ^{ORCID iD}
Address: Himeji University, School of Nursing, 2042-2 Oshio, Himeji, Hyogo 671-0101, Japan.
Received date: 20 October 2021; Accepted date: 06 November 2021; Published date: 15 November 2021

Citation: Naoko M. Relationship Between Tongue Strength and Dysphagia Symptoms in Japanese Older Adults in Need of Care. J Health Care and Research. 2021 Nov 15;2(3):170-75.

Copyright © 2021 Naoko M. This is an open-access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium provided the original work is properly cited.

Keywords: Tongue Pressure, Dysphagia, Older Adults in Need of Care, Japan

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to measure the tongue pressure of older adults who require nursing care and to clarify the relationship between dysphagia symptoms and tongue strength.
Methods: The participants were Japanese older adults (age: ≥ 65 years) in need of care who were able to communicate with others and agreed to participate in the study. Tongue pressure was measured using TPM-01, a tongue pressure measuring instrument. The Dysphagia Risk Assessment for Community-Dwelling Elderly was used to assess dysphagia. The association between tongue pressure and 12 dysphagia symptoms was analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance.
Results: The average tongue pressure was 23.22 ± 9.9 kPa. Tongue pressure was significantly associated with occasional food spillage from the mouth and sputum formation in the throat during meals or after eating or drinking (p < 0.05).
Conclusions: Decreased tongue strength should be suspected in older adults with food spillage from the mouth or sputum formation in the throat during meals.