Tongue thickness measured by ultrasonography is associated with tongue pressure in the Japanese elderly

Abstract

18The term "oral frailty" reflects the fact that oral health is associated with 19 physical frailty and mortality. Tongue thickness measurement is one of the evaluations for 20 swallowing function. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between tongue 21 thickness and tongue pressure in the Japanese elderly. We evaluated 254 elderly patients; all 22 the participants underwent tongue ultrasonography and tongue pressure measurement. To 23 determine tongue thickness, we measured the vertical distance from the surface of the 24 mylohyoid muscle to the tongue dorsum using ultrasonography. Result analyses revealed that 25 tongue thickness was linearly associated with tongue pressure in both sexes. In male 26 participants, dyslipidemia, lower leg circumference, and tongue pressure were independently 27 significantly associated with tongue thickness. In female participants, body mass index and 28 tongue pressure were independently significantly associated with tongue thickness. Tongue 29 thickness was significantly decreased by age for both men and women. The optimal cutoff for 30 tongue thickness to predict the tongue pressure of < 20 kPa was 41.3 mm in males, and 39.3 31 mm in females. In the Japanese elderly, tongue thickness using ultrasonography is associated 32 with tongue pressure. Tongue thickness and tongue pressure, which are sensitive markers for 33 oral frailty, decrease in aging. The tongue ultrasonography provides a less invasive technique 34 for determining tongue thickness and related aspiration risks for elderly patients. 35

A miniaturized ultrasound transducer for monitoring full-mouth oral health: a preliminary study

“…(43) The penetration depth of SS-19-128 was >30 mm, showing that besides periodontal structures, SS-19-128 can potentially achieve ultrasound tongue imaging (average tongue thickness is 41.3 mm in males and 39.3 mm in females). (44) Coherent compounding beamforming presented the highest SNR at all four depths from 15 mm to 30 mm. Coherent compounding had the best combination of resolution and SNR and was used for the subsequent work.…”

Tongue cleaning in the elderly and its role in the respiratory and swallowing functions: Benefits and medical perspectives

“…61 Tongue pressure decreases with age. 62 Tooth loss is an independent factor associated with lower tongue pressure. 63 Deterioration of tongue pressure in older adults is closely related to hyponutrition, 64 sarcopenia, sarcopenic dysphagia 65 and frailty.…”

“…The optimal cutoff for tongue thickness to predict the tongue pressure of <20 kPa was 41.3 mm in males and 39.3 mm in females in the Japanese elderly population. 62 Traditional interventions to improve tongue pressure consist of isometric exercises. These involve pressing the tongue directly against the palate using the handle of a toothbrush, a specific tool for tongue training such as Abilex ® or Peco Panda, [75][76][77][78] or an air-filled bulb placed between the tongue dorsum and the hard palate.…”

Relationship between tongue pressure and handgrip strength: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…Moreover, previous studies have examined the associations between oral health and sarcopaenia, 12 oral function and sarcopaenia, 13–16 swallowing muscles and sarcopaenic dysphagia, 17,18 oral function and physical performance, 19–23 oral function and cognitive function 24 and oral function and polypharmacy 7 . Especially, TP and tongue thickness, which are sensitive markers for oral frailty, decrease with age 25 . However, the association between general physiology and pathophysiological factors on TP has not been clarified.…”