The Effects of Adding Particles in Texture Modified Food on Tongue Strength and Swallowing Function in Patients with Oropharyngeal Dysphagia: A Proof of Concept Study.

Only 10 patients were studied, all at Antwerp University Hospital, and they were selected for Dutch language, no taste problems, and no head or neck cancer treatment, so the results may not apply to many dysphagia patients. The participants had different diagnoses, including brain tumor, ALS, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, post-Covid dysphagia, and age-related swallowing difficulty, so variability may hide a true effect. The study was a proof-of-concept comparison within the same patients, not a trial showing that particles improve diet, swallowing, or quality of life. For the swallowing examination, boluses were always given in the same order, particle-free first, then small particles, then large particles, so order effects cannot be ruled out. Tongue strength varied widely, especially with the small-particle bolus, and a larger or more homogeneous sample could change the conclusion. The short examination did not account for fatigue, which may matter for daily eating.

Do not read this as proof that adding particles improves swallowing or diet. The study had 10 patients and found no measured worsening, not a benefit.