Influence of aging and denture use on liquid swallowing in healthy dentulous and edentulous older people.
OBJECTIVE
To clarify the influence of aging and denture use on swallowing in healthy edentulous people aged 75 and older.


METHODS
A cross-sectional research design was used with participants from Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima University, and Hiroshima City.


METHODS
Participants were examined in Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.


METHODS
Thirteen edentulous elderly volunteers (7 male, 6 female; aged 75-86, mean age 81.2) and 19 dentulous elderly volunteers (12 male, 7 female; aged 80-87, mean age 81.2) as a control group participated in this study. Participants reported no clinical symptoms relating to dysphagia, neurological impairments, or degenerative diseases.


METHODS
Participants were asked to swallow a 10-mL barium sulfate solution three times. Edentulous older people were asked to swallow the solution while wearing dentures and with dentures removed. Functional swallowing was recorded on cine-film with a digital subtraction angiography system. Lateral cinefluorography images were obtained from seated subjects. Using a cine-projector, visual images were evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively.


RESULTS
No participants exhibited aspiration. The occurrence of laryngeal penetration in the edentulous older people not wearing dentures was the only significant difference (P<.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Only laryngeal penetration differed significantly between edentulous older people not wearing their dentures and dentulous older people.
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan. mineka@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
Mineka
M
Yoshikawa
Mitsuyoshi
M
Yoshida
Toshikazu
T
Nagasaki
Keiji
K
Tanimoto
Kazuhiro
K
Tsuga
Yasumasa
Y
Akagawa
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001466:Barium Sulfate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002933:Cineradiography; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology*; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003778:Dentures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007830:Larynx / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values
D003287:Contrast Media; D001466:Barium Sulfate