Allow Time Between Each Mouthful for Safer Swallowing
Top Tip Tuesday: Allow time between each mouthful for safer swallowing
Supporting individuals with dysphagia (swallowing difficulties) involves not just what we eat, but how we eat.
This is our eighth week of sharing practical safe swallowing tips to support carers, nurses, and aged care teams in improving mealtime safety. These tips are designed to be simple, practical, and easy to apply in real-life settings.
Why Pacing Matters
Taking time between each mouthful allows the person to swallow the mouthful of food or drink, before having more.
If the next bite or sip is taken too quickly, the previous mouthful may not have been fully cleared.
This can make swallowing more difficult and less controlled.
Allowing time between each mouthful helps:
improve control during swallowing
ensure the mouth is clear before the next bite
support safer and more comfortable eating
Rushing Can Increase Difficulty
When eating too quickly, a person may:
take the next bite before finishing the previous one
not chew food fully
feel overwhelmed by the amount of food in the mouth
This can make eating more challenging, especially for individuals with dysphagia.
Support should always follow recommendations from a speech pathologist.
Supporting Better Mealtime Pace
Some individuals may:
eat too quickly without realising
need reminders to slow down
benefit from structured pacing support
Encouraging a slower pace can make a meaningful difference.
Simple Tips for Staff
To support safer pacing during mealtime:
allow enough time between each mouthful
observe whether the person has finished swallowing
provide gentle reminders to slow down
avoid rushing the meal
Final Note
If you are unsure about the appropriate strategies for an individual, it is important to seek guidance from a speech pathologist.
Check out our other article to see how to reduce choking risk in aged care during mealtimes:
We also provide online training for dysphagia and IDDSI.
