Aspects of swallowing in healthy dentate elderly persons older than 80 years.

BACKGROUND: Although age-related changes resulting in slowing of the swallowing reflex and a decline in the neuromuscular control system have been reported, there have been few reports on swallowing function in dentate elderly persons. The purpose of this study was to clarify the primary influence of aging on swallowing in healthy dentate elderly persons older than 80 years who have more than 20 teeth. METHODS: Dentate elderly persons (12 male, 7 female; mean age: 81.2 years) and dentate young participants (9 male, 5 female; mean age: 26.8 years) as a control group participated voluntarily. Participants reported no clinical symptoms relating to dysphagia, neurologic impairments, or degenerative diseases, and were asked to swallow 10 ml of barium sulfate solution (10% w/v) three times. Functional swallowing was recorded on 35 mm cinefilm at 30 frames per second with a digital subtraction angiography system. Lateral images of cinefluorography of seated participants' mouth, pharynx, and larynx were obtained. Visual image analysis for qualitative and quantitative evaluation was made with a cine projector. RESULTS: No participants exhibited aspiration during three trials. Occurrence and frequencies of piecemeal deglutition, premature loss of liquid, oral and pharyngeal residues, and laryngeal penetration were significantly greater in dentate elderly persons (p <.05) than in the dentate young participants. Oral transit time, pharyngeal delay time, and pharyngeal transit time in dentate elderly persons were prolonged significantly compared with those in dentate young participants (p <.01). CONCLUSION: Physiological swallowing functions deteriorate even in healthy dentate elderly persons. This deterioration may be explained primarily by the influence of aging on swallowing.

[Efficacy of smoking prevention education by dentists].

PURPOSE: At the same time as generating a clear picture of high school students' smoking habits, we examined how effective it was for dentists to provide them with smoking prevention education. METHOD: We chose one high school in Hiroshima City and asked 1003 of its students to fill in questionnaires anonymously before and after a lecture given by dental faculty on smoking. On a different day the students' oral health was examined by dentists. FINDINGS: The higher the year of the students the higher the percentage of those who had smoked at some time or smoking now. Among students not participating in any club activities, the higher the year the greater the number of smokers. Among the effects of smoking the one known to the largest number of students was found to be lung cancer, followed by oral disease. The questionnaires showed the percentage of students thinking that their family should give up smoking had increased by 6.3% from 55.9% to 62.2% by the end of the lecture, indicating that it was effective. Among the contents of the lecture which had impressed, photographs of cancer, dental damage and features Buerger's disease were mentioned in particular. CONCLUSION: It is advisable to show some photographs of cancer and Buerger's disease as well as talk about how smoking damages teeth when we embark on smoking prevention education. Our study confirmed the need for dentists to provide this kind of education.