Biting force and tongue muscle strength as useful indicators for eating and swallowing capability assessment among elderly patients

作     者：Xinmiao Wang Gangying Zheng Mingsong Su Yanqiu Chen Hua Xie Weijia Han Qing Yang Jianqin Sun Jianshe Chen 

作者机构：School of Food Science and BiotechnologyZhejiang Gongshang UniversityHangzhouZhejiang310018China Clinical Nutrition CenterHuadong HospitalFudan UniversityShanghaiChina 

出 版 物：《Food Science and Human Wellness》 (食品科学与人类健康（英文）)

年 卷 期：2019年第8卷第2期

页      面：149-155页

核心收录：

学科分类：0832[工学-食品科学与工程（可授工学、农学学位）] 1004[医学-公共卫生与预防医学(可授医学、理学学位)] 1002[医学-临床医学] 100203[医学-老年医学] 10[医学] 

基　　金：Authors acknowledge a grant support from Chinese Nutrition Society for this project(2015 Chinese Nutrition Society(CNS)Nutrition Research Foundation—DSM Research Fund grant number:cws201506913). 

主　　题：Dysphagia Elderly Biting force Tongue pressure Eating capability Swallowing Food texture Food oral processing 

摘      要：Weakened capability of eating and swallowing is common among elderly population,affecting negatively on their health and well-being.This work measured occlusal force and tongue muscle strength of elderly patients and then assessed whether correlations existed between oral physiological properties and the eating and swallowing capability.A total of 26 elderly patients with potential swallow disorder were recruited in this work.Participants’denture status and daily diet texture were determined by a pre-questionnaire analysis.Their swallowing capability was assessed and rated by water drinking test.Maximum tongue pressure,incisor occlusal force and hand gripping force were measured for each subject.It was observed that participating subjects have on average a significantly lower biting force and maximum tongue pressure than that of normal adults.The swallowing grades assessed by water drinking test showed significant correlations with both the biting force(r=−0.498,P0.05)and the tongue muscle strength(r=−0.544,P0.05).The biting force of dysphagia participants correlates significantly with dental conditions(P0.05).The observed correlation between tongue pressure and diet texture indicates that tongue muscle strength could be used as a reliable indicator of the eating and swallowing capability for elderly people.