OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of acquired 
unilateral peripheral facial palsy on speech, communication and oral functions 
and to study the relationship between the degree of facial palsy and 
articulation, saliva control, eating ability and lip force.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this descriptive study, 27 patients (15 men and 12 
women, mean age 48years) with unilateral peripheral facial palsy were included 
if they were graded under 70 on the Sunnybrook Facial Grading System. The 
assessment was carried out in connection with customary visits to the ENT Clinic 
and comprised lip force, articulation and intelligibility, together with 
perceived ability to communicate and ability to eat and control saliva conducted 
through self-response questionnaires.
RESULTS: The patients with unilateral facial palsy had significantly lower lip 
force, poorer articulation and ability to eat and control saliva compared with 
reference data in healthy populations. The degree of facial palsy correlated 
significantly with lip force but not with articulation, intelligibility, 
perceived communication ability or reported ability to eat and control saliva.
CONCLUSION: Acquired peripheral facial palsy may affect communication and the 
ability to eat and control saliva. Physicians should be aware that there is no 
direct correlation between the degree of facial palsy and the possible effect on 
communication, eating ability and saliva control. Physicians are therefore 
recommended to ask specific questions relating to problems with these functions 
during customary medical visits and offer possible intervention by a 
speech-language pathologist or a physiotherapist.