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The effectiveness of a desensitization technique for mitigating oral and facial tactile hypersensitivity in
Maki Shirobe1, Rena Hidaka2, Hirohiko Hirano3,4
1The Tokyo Metropolitan Support Center for Preventative Long-term and Frail Elderly Care, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan.
Background/Purpose:
Oral health care provision in long-term care settings is often limited by specific behaviors exhibited by residents, which may be interpreted as a refusal of care. Such behaviors can be attributed to oral tactile hypersensitivity (TH), which is characterized by aberrations in the perception of oral stimuli. TH is also associated with a decline in ingestion and swallowing function. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a technique for mitigating TH (TMH) among institutionalized older persons.
Materials And Methods:
In this study, 18 institutionalized older persons (Mean age, 90.6 ± 4.5 years; 92.9% females) with TH were randomized to a control group or an intervention group. Pre- and post-intervention assessments were conducted for seven participants in each group. Routine oral care was provided by the facility's staff in both groups. TMH in the intervention group was performed by a dental hygienist over a 3-month period.
Results:
In the intervention group, the number of areas with TH was significantly reduced (P = 0.027). No significant change was observed in the control group.
Conclusion:
The results of this study suggest that TMH can effectively mitigate TH. Our findings provide clinicians with an additional treatment option for hypersensitivity in older patients. Additional long-term studies with larger sample sizes are required to confirm the effectiveness of this technique.
