Relationship Between the Morphology of Oral Membranous Substances and Oral Wetness in Older Individuals Undergoing Long-Term Tube Feeding in Japan.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

Oral membranous substances in tube-fed patients undergo temporal morphological changes, increasing the risk of asphyxiation. While xerostomia is hypothesized to influence these alterations, its precise relationship with oral wetness and specific morphological stages remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate oral wetness as an indicator of xerostomia and predictor of membranous substance formation.

Methods and results

This study included 18 older tube-fed patients. Following initial oral care, comprising tooth surface and oral mucosa cleaning, we measured tongue dorsum wetness at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h post-care. Concurrent visual examinations assessed the presence and morphology of palatal membranous substances, categorizing them into four types: none, mucous, vi

SUBMITTER: Asahina H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12361872 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul-Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature