Colorado Oral Strengthening Device

The exercise protocol will include using the tongue to compress the COSD against the hard palate, or against the tongue depressor for 30 repetitions, 3 times per day, on 3 days of the 7-day week. For the first week, the participants who are in the COSD group will be issued a COSD bulb that corresponds to no less than 60% of their baseline maximum strength. After week 1, they will switch to a COSD bulb that corresponds to no less than 80% of their maximum tongue strength for the remaining 7 weeks.

The exercise protocol will include using the tongue to compress the COSD against the hard palate, or against the tongue depressor for 30 repetitions, 3 times per day, on 3 days of the 7-day week. For the tongue depressor group, they will be given 8 tongue depressors, which are disposable, for the duration of the study.