Clinical assessment of the tongue in healthy young adults Avaliação clínica da língua em adultos jovens

Mailing address: Andréa Rodrigues Motta Departamento de Fonoaudiologia Faculdade de Medicina Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Avenida Alfredo Balena, 190, sala 249 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil CEP: 30130-100 E-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT Purpose: to verify the relationship between the aspects of tongue clinical evaluation. Methods: a cross-sectional study was conducted with 48 healthy adults, 13 men and 35 women (ages 20-44 years, M=24.8 years, SD=5.3years). The following aspects were checked: tongue force, alternate movements, snap, suctionand vibration of the tongue. The evaluator also checked ifthe floor of the mouth elevated during tasks of tongue elevation or sucking tongue on palateand the occurrence of lingual tremor. Results: the aspects with the most frequent alteration were sucking tongue on palate and tongue vibration.Tremor had a higher occurrence during tongue movements.We found statistically significant association between snap and vibration and between vibration and elevation of the floor of the mouth during elevation of the tongue. Tongue force was associated with snap, vibration and elevation of the floor of the mouth during tongue elevation. Conclusion: the level of force influences lingual praxis performance. Vibration changes tend to be accompanied by other difficulties.