Frequent choking or coughing while drinking and increasing difficulty swallowing may not be simply due to aging. Research shows that older adults with oral function decline face 2.35 times the risk of disability and 2.1 times the risk of sarcopenia. Taipei City Government health and social welfare authorities and the Taipei City Dental Association have introduced "Healthy Mouth, Strong Body", turning oral function training into 10 simple daily exercises.
Oral frailty can affect overall health. Six indicators are used for assessment: natural teeth, bite force, tongue pressure, speech, chewing and swallowing. Meeting three or more indicates oral frailty, which is linked to 2.41 times the risk of physical frailty and 2.09 times the risk of death.
Older adults can start with 3-5 minutes of oral exercises a day instead of waiting for eating difficulties. The 10 exercises cover breathing, chest expansion, salivary gland massage, cheek and tongue movements, speech, and chewing and swallowing muscles.
Some exercises include salivary gland massage, Pa-Ta-Ka-La articulation and swallowing muscle training. People can follow the instructional videos rather than memorizing every movement at once, gradually making the exercises part of daily life.
Videos are available in Mandarin and Taiwanese for community centers, long-term care facilities, care workers and family caregivers. Daily care can include cleaning teeth, tongue and dentures after meals. Older adults with recurrent choking, difficulty swallowing medication, chewing or swallowing problems, or effects on eating and weight should seek professional evaluation.
Videos:
Mandarin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV4Ewmp1dLc&t=6s
Taiwanese: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF5Va1u2qJ4
