Title: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TONGUE STRENGTH MEASUREMENT IN YOUNG ADULTS: WITH AND WITHOUT BITE BLOCK COVERS

Abbreviated Abstract: The use of bite block covers is a common infection control measure in dental and medical settings; however, little is known about their impact on tongue strength measurements using the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (IOPI). Further, there is little to no previous research investigating how bite block covers may influence tongue strength assessments during regular and effortful swallowing across different bolus consistencies. In this study, tongue strength measurements with and without a bite block cover were compared in healthy young adults to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of using these covers in clinical and research settings. Findings from this study may help inform best practices for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and researchers assessing oral motor function while maintaining infection control standards.