The intervention group chew one unscented gum provided by the study for 12 weeks. Using KakaoTalk, the coordinator sends a chewing gum alarm.~The participants are instructed to masticate a gum for 20 minutes every day, alternately for 10 minutes on the right side and 10 minutes on the left side.~After chewing gum, they perform masticatory muscle stretching and tongue exercises. After they finish chewing the gum, he or she reports completion by posting an authentication photo in the KakaoTalk chat room.~The research coordinator checks the certification on a weekly basis and sends a separate phone call to encourage participants who do not chew gum more than twice a week.
This study is to investigate whether the improvement or maintenance of cognitive function is superior to the control group when gum chewing is performed in elderly people with subjective cognitive decline or mild cognitive impairment.