Relationship between masticatory performance and heart rate variability: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
Little information is available on how impaired masticatory performance relates to heart-rate variability (HRV). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between HRV indices and masticatory performance.


METHODS
Sixty-five subjects (19 men and 46 women, 66.1 ± 9.9 years old) who had received periodontal maintenance care at the Clinic of Preventive Dentistry of Okayama University Hospital were selected for the study. All subjects completed written questionnaires, a chewing (colour-changing gum) test for masticatory performance and measurement of occlusal force and HRV as well as oral examination.


RESULTS
The high sympathetic activity (LF ≥ 49.6) group showed a significantly lower level of masticatory performance (a* value) than the low sympathetic activity group (p < 0.05). There were also significant correlations of masticatory performance with LF and LF/HF (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that there is relationship between masticatory performance and HRV indices and impaired masticatory performance may be a risk factor for inducing high sympathetic activity.
Department of Preventive Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan.
Noriko
N
Takeuchi
Daisuke
D
Ekuni
Takaaki
T
Tomofuji
Manabu
M
Morita
D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects