title: Relationship between bite force and salivary flow in older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between bite force and stimulated salivary flow rate in older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study sample consisted of 934 independent-living, cognitively healthy Japanese older adults 60 to 84 years of age. The maximal bite force was measured with pressure-sensitive sheets, and stimulated whole saliva was collected using the mastication method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean stimulated salivary flow rate was 1.36 +/- 0.97 mL/min. In bivariate analysis, the stimulated salivary flow rate was significantly lower in females and subjects with daily multiple medications (P < .01). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the stimulated salivary flow rate was significantly associated with sex (standardized partial regression coefficient: partial beta = .22; P < .001), bite force (partial beta = .18; P < .001), and multiple daily medications (partial beta = -.12; P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is suggested that reduced bite force is associated with a decline in stimulated whole salivary flow rate independent of sex and medication in older adults.
authors: Division of Oromaxillofacial Regeneration, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka, Japan. ikebe@dent.osaka-u.ac.jp
authors: Kazunori
authors: K
authors: Ikebe
authors: Ken-ich
authors: KI
authors: Matsuda
authors: Kentaro
authors: K
authors: Morii
authors: Tomohiro
authors: T
authors: Hazeyama
authors: Ryosuke
authors: R
authors: Kagawa
authors: Taiji
authors: T
authors: Ogawa
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Nokubi
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001732:Bite Force; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003799:Dental Stress Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D012636:Secretory Rate; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical