The Effect of a Masticatory Muscle Training Program on Chewing Efficiency and Bite Force in People with Dementia

Julia Jockusch, Sebastian Hahnel, Bernhard B. A. J. Sobotta and Ina Nitschke
Additional contact information
Julia Jockusch: Department of Prosthodontics and Materials Science, Gerodontology Section, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
Sebastian Hahnel: Department of Prosthodontics and Materials Science, Gerodontology Section, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
Bernhard B. A. J. Sobotta: Department of Prosthodontics and Materials Science, Gerodontology Section, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
Ina Nitschke: Department of Prosthodontics and Materials Science, Gerodontology Section, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 7, 1-20

Abstract: Until now, no study has investigated the effects of masticatory muscle training on chewing function in people with dementia. This study aimed to investigate whether physiotherapeutic exercises for the masticatory muscles have an influence on chewing efficiency and bite force in people with dementia. In a clinical trial with stratified randomization subjects were assigned to three groups based on the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE: group 1—28–30, group 2—25–27, group 3—18–24). Each group was divided into an experimental (ExpG, intervention) and control group (ConG, no intervention). As intervention a Masticatory Muscle Training (MaMuT) (part 1: three physiotherapeutic treatments and daily home exercises, part 2: daily home exercises only) was carried out. Chewing efficiency and bite force were recorded. The MaMuT influenced the masticatory performance regardless of the cognitive state. Bite force increased in ExpG 1 and 2. Without further training, however, the effect disappeared. Chewing efficiency increased in all ExpG. After completion of the training, the ExpG 2 and 3 showed a decrease to initial values. Subjects of ExpG 1 showed a training effect at the final examination, but a tendency toward the initial values was observed. ExpG 3 seemed to benefit most from the physiotherapeutic exercises in terms of improving chewing efficiency by the end of the intervention phase. ExpG 1 showed the greatest gain in bite force. The MaMuT program is a potential method of improving masticatory performance in people with cognitive impairment or dementia when used on a daily basis.

Keywords: dementia; chewing function; bite force; physiotherapy; mastication; mild cognitive impairment; chewing efficiency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/7/3778/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/7/3778/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:7:p:3778-:d:776935

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().