Association of masticatory performance with age, posterior occlusal contacts, occlusal force, and salivary flow in older adults.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to investigate the effect of age, posterior occlusal contacts, occlusal force, and salivary flow on masticatory performance in older adults.


METHODS
The study sample consisted of 328 independently living people over the age of 60 years. Masticatory performance was determined by the concentration of dissolved glucose obtained from test gummy jellies, which are the standardized food developed for measuring masticatory performance. Bilateral maximal occlusal force in the intercuspal position was measured with pressure-sensitive sheets. Stimulated whole saliva was collected using the mastication method. Subjects were grouped into 3 categories by posterior occlusal contacts according to the Eichner Index.


RESULTS
The multiple linear regression analysis showed that, with other variables controlled, masticatory performance was significantly associated with posterior occlusal contacts (beta = -.24, P < .001 for Eichner group B; beta = -.52, P < .001 for Eichner group C), occlusal force (P = .28, P < .001), and hyposalivation (beta = -.08, P < .046) (R(2) = 0.49). Within the groups classified by the Eichner Index, occlusal force was significantly associated with masticatory performance; however, age was not. For salivary flow rate, hyposalivation had a significant relationship with masticatory performance in group C (P = .003) and group B (P = .047), but no significant relationship in group A.


CONCLUSIONS
A decline of posterior occlusal contacts, occlusal force, and hyposalivation appear to be associated with masticatory performance with aging in older adults.
Ikebe
Kazunori
K
Division of Oromaxillofacial Regeneration, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, 1-8 Yamadaoka Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. ikebe@dent.osaka-u.ac.jp
Matsuda
Ken-ichi
K
Morii
Kentaro
K
Furuya-Yoshinaka
Masako
M
Nokubi
Takashi
T
Renner
Robert P
RP
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001732:Bite Force; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003768:Dental Occlusion, Centric; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007574:Jaw Relation Record; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication; D008875:Middle Aged; D008963:Molar; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric