Personalised Masticatory Training Using a Visual Biofeedback-Assisted Digital Device for Improving Oral Function in...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Oral Health
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Oral frailty is a common age-related condition in older adults, primarily marked by declining oral function.
• Masticatory dysfunction is a prevalent issue contributing to oral frailty in the elderly population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of personalized masticatory training, facilitated by a digital device with visual biofeedback, on the oral function of older adults experiencing oral frailty.

Main Methods:

• Fifty community-dwelling older adults with oral frailty were randomized into an experimental group and a control group.
• The experimental group underwent personalized masticatory training using a digital device (60 reps/day, 5 days/week for 6 weeks) at 70% of 1-RM.
• The control group performed gum chewing exercises for the same duration and frequency.

Main Results:

• The experimental group showed statistically significant improvements in maximum occlusal force, masticatory performance, masseter muscle thickness, and oral mucosal moisture compared to the control group (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Personalized masticatory training with a visual biofeedback-assisted digital device is a superior method for enhancing oral function in older adults with oral frailty.
• This digital approach offers a more effective alternative to conventional gum chewing exercises for improving masticatory function in this demographic.