A research group led by Assistant Professor Reiko Yamanaka of Okayama University has confirmed for the first time in the world that "gum chewing training" before and after surgery is useful for preventing postoperative complications such as decreased oral function and fever after esophageal cancer surgery.
Esophageal cancer surgery involves a wide range of surgical fields, including the neck, chest, and abdomen, and is highly invasive, with a high risk of postoperative complications such as aspiration. After surgery, oral function declines and frailty (a state of physical and mental senility due to aging) progresses rapidly. In recent years, minimally invasive surgery using endoscopes and robots has been performed in an effort to reduce postoperative complications, but preventing postoperative complications remains an important issue.
The research group compared a group that underwent gum chewing training for about two weeks before and after esophageal cancer surgery (gum group) (three times a day, about five minutes) with a group that did not undergo gum chewing training (control group). As a result, the percentage of patients with decreased tongue pressure, one of the evaluation indicators of swallowing function, was significantly lower in the gum group than in the control group, from 2% to 3%.
Furthermore, in the gum group, not only was a decrease in postoperative tongue pressure prevented, but tongue pressure improved even in the presence of damage from surgery. Furthermore, the gum group experienced a significant reduction in the duration of postoperative fever. Swallowing function also improved significantly compared to the control group, and although the difference was not significant, there was a tendency for there to be fewer cases of postoperative aspiration and pneumonia. Conversely, no complications or disadvantages thought to be due to gum chewing were observed.
This time, in addition to professional oral cleaning, it has been shown that "gum chewing training," which is fun, simple, and inexpensive to practice, can improve oral function and prevent postoperative complications. As its safety and effectiveness have been confirmed in patients after esophageal cancer surgery, who are at high risk of aspiration, it is believed that it may be useful for many patients suffering from oral frailty.
