title: Effects of oral care with tongue cleaning on coughing ability in geriatric care facilities: a randomised controlled trial.
abstract: Methods for preventing aspiration pneumonia are needed soon in order to reduce mortality from aspiration pneumonia and promote the health of the elderly. The aim of this randomised controlled trial was to examine whether oral care with tongue cleaning improves coughing ability in elderly individuals living in geriatric care facilities. Participants comprised of 114 residents of 11 group homes and private nursing homes in Aso City in Kumamoto Prefecture. Participants were randomly assigned to either (i) a group that underwent routine oral care with tongue cleaning (intervention group; n = 58) or (ii) a group that underwent routine oral care alone (control group; n = 56). Coughing ability was evaluated by measuring peak expiratory flow (PEF) before and after 4 weeks of intervention. Before the intervention, PEF did not differ significantly between the intervention group (1·65 ± 1·11 L s-1) and control group (1·59 ± 1·05 L s-1; P = 0·658). However, on termination of the intervention, PEF was significantly higher in the intervention group (2·54 ± 1·42 L s-1) than in the control group (1·90 ± 1·20 L s-1; P = 0·014). After the intervention, PEF had increased significantly in both groups; however, this increase was significantly greater in the intervention group (0·90 ± 0·95 L s-1) than in the control group (0·31 ± 0·99 L s-1; P < 0·001). Oral care with tongue cleaning led to increased PEF, suggesting improved coughing ability. Oral care incorporating tongue cleaning appears to be important for preventing aspiration pneumonia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Functional Management, School of Oral Health Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Kyushu Dental University, Kitakyushu, Japan.|Section of Preventive and Public Health Dentistry, Division of Oral Health, Growth and Development, Faculty of Dental Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Izumi
authors.affiliation: Section of Preventive and Public Health Dentistry, Division of Oral Health, Growth and Development, Faculty of Dental Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.affiliation: Kizuna-kai, Aso-kizuna Dental Clinic, Aso, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ganaha
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Functional Management, School of Oral Health Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Kyushu Dental University, Kitakyushu, Japan.|Section of Preventive and Public Health Dentistry, Division of Oral Health, Growth and Development, Faculty of Dental Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akifusa
authors.affiliation: Section of Preventive and Public Health Dentistry, Division of Oral Health, Growth and Development, Faculty of Dental Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamashita
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003371:Cough / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016321:Dental Care for Aged / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000379:methods*; D011015:Pneumonia, Aspiration / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014059:Tongue
keywords: aspiration pneumonia; cough; epidemiologic studies; mouth; peak expiratory flow rate; randomised controlled trial