Public Health Research Development
Vol. 2 No. 1 (2025): Public Health Research Development

The Effect of Oral Stimulation Exercises to Improving the Function of Swallowing, Mastication, and Salivary Flow Rate on the Elderly

Ningtyas, Endah Aryati Eko (Unknown)
Benyamin, Benni (Unknown)
Enhar, Nindita (Unknown)
Ijazati, Kholifah Nur (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Apr 2025

Abstract

Oral health issues are prevalent among the elderly due to physiological aging, which often leads to decreased oral muscle function and impairs essential activities such as mastication, swallowing, and salivary secretion. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of oral stimulation exercises in improving these oral functions in elderly individuals. A pre-experimental one-group pre-test and post-test design was conducted involving 28 elderly participants in Pedalangan Village, Semarang, Indonesia. Participants received regular oral stimulation exercises, and assessments were made before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using the Shapiro-Wilk test for normality, with paired sample t-tests and Wilcoxon tests applied accordingly. The results demonstrated significant improvements in salivary flow rate (p = 0.018), swallowing function (p = 0.000), and mastication ability (p = 0.004). These findings suggest that oral stimulation exercises are an effective non-pharmacological strategy to enhance oral functions among the elderly, potentially improving their overall health and quality of life.

Copyrights © 2025






Journal Info

Abbrev

phrd

Publisher

Subject

Environmental Science Health Professions Public Health

Description

Public Health Research Development applies a double-blind peer review model, where the identities of authors and reviewers are kept confidential from each other to ensure the objectivity and quality of the review process. Each submitted article will go through a rigorous evaluation process by ...