Potential factors responsible for dryness of the dorsum of the tongue in elderly requiring care

Objective: This study explored potential factors in elderly requiring care that cause dryness of the dorsum of the tongue despite moisture retention in the sublingual mucosa. Materials and methods: Subjects were 224 elderly (mean age: 83.6 ± 7.4 years) living in a nursing home and requiring individual care. Measurement of moisture of the dorsum of the tongue and sublingual mucosa was performed using a wetness tester (L‐SALIVO) with a measurement time of 10 s. Results: A significant difference in drying only of the dorsum of the tongue was noted depending on the degree of incapacity, level of consciousness, eating (oral ingestion or tube‐feeding), and conversation. Multiple logistic regression identified the degree of incapacity in terms of eating (oral ingestion or tube‐feeding) as a significant factor for dryness. The odds ratio for the degree of incapacity was 3.2 while that for eating was 11.226. Conclusion: Dry mouth of the dorsum of the tongue in elderly requiring care was associated with the degree of incapacity, tube feeding, and level of conversation.