title: Analysis of tongue pressure in Brazilian young adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present the measures for tongue pressure in Brazilian young adults, considering specific tasks, and to verify the differences regarding gender and according to the tasks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-one volunteers aged 18 to 28 years, of both genders with normal occlusion and without speech disorders were evaluated. We used the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument in the evaluation of tongue pressure (kilopascal) during specific tests of elevation, protrusion, swallowing, and lateralization, in addition to the endurance test (seconds). The analysis was conducted using analysis of variance, followed by the Tukey's multiple comparison test, adopting a 5% significance level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The values obtained for men and women in the tests were as follows: elevation, 63.94±12.92 and 50.27±15.29; protrusion, 60.22±13.62 and 44.30±12.95; swallowing, 33.94±12.06 and 34.27±13.25; lateralization on the right, 44.15±10.47 and 31.85±8.46; lateralization on the left, 43.15±10.22 and 29.55±8.91; and endurance test: 24.85±10.95 and 17.35±6.71, respectively. The values were higher in men compared with women for the protrusion and lateralization tasks. The measures of the protrusion and elevation tasks did not differ for men but were higher in both genders than those of the lateralization and the swallowing tests. There was no difference in lateralization according to side in both the genders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The measures for the tongue pressure in Brazilian young adults were determined by specific tasks. Gender influenced the pressure of the tongue values for the protrusion and lateralization tasks. Elevation and protrusion tasks measures were higher than those of the lateralization and swallowing tasks.
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Reabilitação de Anomalias Craniofaciais, Universidade de São Paulo, Bauru, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Estefânia Leite
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Prandini
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Reabilitação de Anomalias Craniofaciais, Universidade de São Paulo, Bauru, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tatiane
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Totta
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru, Universidade de São Paulo, Bauru, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana da Rocha Salles
authors.initials: Mda R
authors.lastname: Bueno
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru, Universidade de São Paulo, Bauru, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Raquel Rodrigues
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lúcia Dantas
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Giglio
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Oftalmologia, Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia de Cabeça e Pescoço, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luciana Vitaliano Voi
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Trawitzki
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru, Universidade de São Paulo, Bauru, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Giédre
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Berretin-Felix
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Oftalmologia, Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia de Cabeça e Pescoço, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cláudia Maria de
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Felício
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Reabilitação de Anomalias Craniofaciais, Universidade de São Paulo, Bauru, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Katia Flores
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Genaro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D011312:Pressure; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D013284:Stomatognathic System / Q000502:physiology; D014059:Tongue / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult