The effects of the oral exercises on the oral function of people with dementia

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of the home-based oral exercises on the oral function in people with mild to moderate dementia. The patients with mild to moderate dementia at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, who were randomly allocated to an experimental group (n = 11), were asked to perform 3 home-based oral exercises for 3 months while those in a control group (n = 11) did not do any oral exercises. The oral function including maximum tongue pressure (MTP), oral diadochokinesis (ODK) rates of /ta/, /ka/, /pa/, swallowing function (modified water swallowing test: MWST), and oral moisture were evaluated at baseline and at the end of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd months. In addition, the nutritional status including the mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), calf circumference (CC), body mass index (BMI), and the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form were evaluated as consequences of changed oral function at baseline and after 3 months. The data of 19 participants (10 in the experimental group and 9 in the control group), who were completely evaluated at the end-point visit, were analyzed. The results showed that the MTP and ODK rates of /ta/, /ka/, and /pa/ in the experimental group improved significantly after the 3-month program, with notable interaction effects between time and intervention. Nevertheless, there was no significant interaction effect on the oral moisture, and the MWST scores in two groups were unchanged. Furthermore, after 3 months, the MUAC, CC, and BMI in the experimental group increased significantly, with notable interaction effects between time and groups. The total exercise compliance rate was 96.5%. The compliance was significantly negatively correlated with age. There was no reported serious adverse event. In conclusion, the home-based oral exercises performed in this study could improve the tongue strength and motor function of tongue and lips in people with mild to moderate dementia. The caregivers, who were trained to control the exercises, were crucial to the success of the oral exercises.