본문 바로가기
  • Home

The effect of an oral exercise program including whole-body exercises on the mental health of the elderly

  • Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
  • Abbr : J Korean Soc Dent Hyg
  • 2022, 22(1), pp.21-28
  • DOI : 10.13065/jksdh.20220003
  • Publisher : Korean Society of Dental Hygiene
  • Research Area : Medicine and Pharmacy > Dentistry
  • Received : December 10, 2021
  • Accepted : January 30, 2022
  • Published : February 28, 2022

jung eun seo 1 SEO SU YEON 2 Lee Kyeonghee 2

1신한대학교 치위생학과
2신한대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

Objectives: This study investigated the influence of oral exercise programs with whole-body exercises on the mental health of the elderly. Methods: Elderly individuals aged 65 years or older were assigned to an experimental group and a control group. Oral exercises with whole-body exercises were conducted in the experimental group for 40 minutes, twice weekly, during 5 weeks from May to June 2021. To evaluate the effectiveness of the program, the oral health related quality of life (OHIP-14, GOHAI), mental health, happiness, and social support of the elderly were explored both before and after the execution of the program in the experimental group. A paired sample t-test was performed to check the changes in the factors investigated, both before and after the execution of the program in the two groups. Results: The values of difference between the experimental and control group were compared in relation to the dependent variables, before and after the execution of the oral exercise program with the whole-body exercises. It was found that statistically significant differences in the OHIP-14 (p=0.163), GOHAI (p=0.156), and feelings of happiness in the elderly (p=0.280) were not evident in the experimental group. However, statistically significant differences emerged with regard to the mental health and provision of social support of the elderly (p<0.05). Conclusions: It was found that the oral exercise program with whole-body exercises executed in this study were effective in improving the mental health and social support of the elderly. However, no significant differences were shown in oral health relating to quality of life and feelings of happiness. It is considered that these findings need to be verified by means of future long-term studies.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

This paper was written with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea.