ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: There are several researches demonstrating that community-based educational and exercise programs can improve oral function in older people. However, the relationship between oral function and long-term participation in health programs has not been fully elucidated. The objective of this study was to clarify the oral health status and oral function of older people (≥ 65 years) who had been participating in community-based exercise programs at community salons. METHODS: We enrolled 108 women (mean age: 77.6 ± 5.7 years) who participated in oral and physical exercise programs once a week at community salons in Takehara throughout May 2017. This cross-sectional pilot study was approved by the Ethical Committee of Hiroshima University and informed consent was obtained from all participants. To assess oral function, the following tests were performed: tongue pressure test, oral diadochokinesis (ODK) measurement, repetitive saliva swallowing test (RSST) and oral wetness measurement. RESULTS: A significant negative correlation was found between age and ODK or RSST (Spearman's rank correlation; P = 0.007 and P = 0.01, respectively). The duration of participation ranged widely from 1 month to 7 years (median: 2.3 years). Although there was no significant difference between participation period and oral function, individuals who had been participating for 3 years or longer did not demonstrate a negative relationship between age and oral wetness. Furthermore, they exhibited a weaker negative relationship between age and oral function (i.e. tongue pressure, ODK and RSST) when compared with individuals who had been participating for less than 3 years. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that long-term participation in community salon exercise programs may suppress the deterioration of oral function in older people. Further study will be necessary to clarify the significant correlation between oral function and community-based social activities such as oral exercise.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Mouth breathing syndrome (MBS) is defined as a set of signs and symptoms that may be completely or incompletely present in subjects who, for various reasons, replace the correct pattern of nasal breathing with an oral or mixed pattern. It is important to identify the relevant factors affecting MBS in order to diagnose its cause since breathing obstructions can result from multiple factors. The purpose of this study is to clarify the relevant factors and the interrelationships between factors affecting MBS among children. DESIGN: We surveyed 380 elementary school children from 6 to 12 years in age. The questionnaire consisted of 44 questions regarding their daily health conditions and lifestyle habits and was completed by the children's guardians. A factor analysis was performed to classify closely related questions into their respective factors and to examine the strength of the correlation between the newly revealed factors. RESULTS: Twenty-six out of the 44 questions were selected, and they were classified into seven factors. Factors 1-7 were defined as "Incompetent lip seal", "Diseases of the nose and throat", "Eating and drinking habits", "Bad breath", "Problems with swallowing and chewing", "Condition of teeth and gums", and "Dry lips", respectively. There were also correlations between these factors themselves. CONCLUSION: MBS was categorized according to 7 major factors. Because Factor 1 was defined as "Incompetent lip seal", which was representative of the physical appearance of mouth breathers and correlated with other factors, we suggested that MBS should consist of 7 factors in total.
