Postoperative oral dysfunction following oral cancer resection and reconstruction: A preliminary cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objectives: Oral cancer treatment reportedly causes decreased oral function, but few studies have examined the effects of oral cancer treatment on oral function in depth. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the oral function after treatment and classify the conditions related to oral dysfunction in patients with oral cancer.

Materials and methods: We recruited participants, collected their background data, and evaluated their oral function from September 2019 to March 2021. Principal component analysis was used to identify the components of oral function measurement and oral health perception. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to investigate the accuracy of oral function measurements in predicting oral intake and nutritional status.

Results: Fifty patients treated for oral cancer, including 33 (66.0%) males and 17 (34.0%) females, were included. Their median age was 71.0 years (interquartile range: 63.0-76.0). There were significant differences in oral dryness between males and females, occlusal force among different age groups, tongue pressure based on the tumor stage and performance of reconstructive procedures, and masticatory function and Eating Assessment Tool scores based on whether radiotherapy was performed (P < 0.05). The principal component analysis proposed that oral function measurements and subjective oral health perception could be divided into three main components (transport, oral hygiene, and occlusion type), which explain 61.5% of the variance of the phenomenon.

Conclusion: A significant decrease in oral function after oral cancer treatment should be diagnosed as postoperative oral dysfunction. Postoperative oral dysfunction can be classified into three types, each of which may present with different pathologies.

Keywords: Decreased masticatory function; Decreased tongue pressure; Deterioration of swallowing function; Dysphagia; Oral cancer; Oral dryness; Oral dysfunction; Oral function; Poor oral hygiene; Reduced occlusal force.