Effects of tongue cleaning on the suprahyoid muscle and development of oral care methods

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K17292
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 57080:Social dentistry-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu Dental College
• Principal Investigator: IZUMI MAYA 九州歯科大学, 歯学部, 講師 (40589181)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 呼吸機能 / 舌圧 / 舌骨上筋群 / 舌清掃

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Tongue cleaning improves respiratory function in older adults. Considering connection between the respiratory-related and suprahyoid muscles, this study aimed to investigate whether tongue-cleaning interventions can improve myoelectric activity during respiration in older adults.
A six-week randomized controlled trial was conducted in Kitakyushu, Japan, with 50 participants aged 65 and older. The participants were allocated to the intervention (tongue cleaning with routine oral hygiene) or control (routine oral hygiene alone) groups. The RMS of sEMG during exhalation increased significantly at the end of the follow-up period compared with that at baseline in the intervention group, but not in the control group.
As conclusion, tongue cleaning enhances the myoelectric activity of the suprahyoid muscle, which may contribute to improved respiratory function in older adults. Thus, tongue cleaning can effectively activate the suprahyoid muscles.

Free Research Field

社会系歯学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究において、舌清掃は、口腔環境を改善するだけでなく呼吸や摂食嚥下に重要な舌骨上筋群の向上および機能低下予防につながることが示唆された。
舌清掃は、受動的な対象者にも行うことができることから、能動的な呼吸リハビリテーションや嚥下訓練が難しく訓練を断念せざるを得なかった認知症や寝たきりの高齢者においても応用できる。
口腔ケアは、多職種で関われる唯一の誤嚥性肺炎予防であり、日常の介護ケアの一環として日々行われている。舌清掃は、高齢者の誤嚥性肺炎による医療費増大を防ぐと共に、地域で「最後まで美味しく食べる」健康寿命の延伸に大きく貢献できると示唆され社会的意義は大きい。