Effects of Oral Exercise on Oral Function among Japanese Dependent Elderly Individuals Living in Nursing Facilities

Purpose: The purpose is to clarify the relationship between oral exercise and oral function in dependent elderly patients in nursing facilities. Methods: The subjects are dependent elderly people aged 65 years or older admitted to nursing facilities for elderly people in Japan. Dependent elderly people gathered for group oral exercises, with the guidance of medical welfare professionals, over 3 days a week, once a day, once for about 15 minutes. The exercises included were neck, shoulder, upper limb, tongue, lip, cheek movement, vocalization, deep breathing, and so on. Oral function was evaluated before oral exercises, 3 months after implementation, and 6 months after implementation. To evaluate oral function, tongue pressure and Oral Diadochokinesis (OD) were used. Results: Before starting oral exercises, there were 62 participants; after 3 months there were 36, and after 6 months there were 25. The average value of tongue pressure prior to exercise was 22.52±9.44kPa; after 3 months it was 24.80±10.90kPa; after 6 months the value was 26.85±10.56kPa. OD’s /pa/ average value prior to exercise was 4.0±1.1 times per second; after three months the value was 4.2±1.2 times per second; after 6 months it was 5.3±3.6 times per second. The /ta/ value prior to exercise was 4.1±1.2 times per second; after 3 months the value was 4.1±1.2 times per second; after 6 months it was 5.4±3.6 times per second. The /ka/ value prior to exercise was 3.6±1.2 times per second; after 3 months the value was 3.8±1.0 times per second; after 6 months it was 4.7±3.2 times per second. Analysis of oral function evaluation values before and after oral exercises by corresponding one-way variance showed a significant increase in tongue pressure 6 months after oral exercises. Conclusions: The results of the study suggest that oral exercise is effective in improving oral function in dependent elderly people. We think that it is necessary to continuously perform oral exercise with guidance by professionals to improve dependent elderly people’s oral function.