Immediate effects of photobiomodulation on maximum pressure and endurance of the tongue in adults: a randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE: To verify whether there are immediate effects of photobiomodulation on maximum tongue pressure and endurance.

METHODS

This was a double-blind experimental study that investigated the immediate effects of photobiomodulation on maximum tongue pressure and endurance in individuals without functional alterations of this structure. The non-probabilistic sample consisted of 60 individuals of both sexes, aged between 18 and 35 years, divided into four groups. The tested doses were 7, 9, and 11J per point, using infrared wavelength, applied to six points on the dorsal surface of the tongue (three longitudinal points in two rows) and three longitudinal points on each lateral side, totaling 12 application points. The placebo group underwent the same procedures as the others, but the device was not activated. Participants underwent an intraoral evaluation of the tongue using the MBGR protocol to determine eligibility, as well as maximum tongue pressure and endurance assessment using the IOPI, both before and after irradiation. The maximum tongue pressure and endurance were compared before and after photobiomodulation.

RESULTS

The groups were homogeneous regarding sex, age, maximum tongue pressure, and endurance before irradiation. No differences were observed in tongue pressure or resistance between the pre and post-irradiation moments in any of the tested groups.

CONCLUSION

Photobiomodulation, at the tested doses, did not produce immediate effects on maximum tongue pressure or resistance in adults without structural and/or functional alterations of the tongue.