How oral health and food sensory properties impact oral comfort during consumption of apples: A comparative approach in seniors and young adults

Food-related oral discomfort: A cross-sectional survey assessing the sensory dimension of oral discomfort in French independently living adults

BACKGROUND

Discomfort encountered during oral processing may cause food avoidance and increase the risk of malnutrition in older adults. The aim of the present survey was to explore the relationships between oral health and the oral discomfort experienced while eating in senior people.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In a cross-sectional study, oral discomfort was assessed in a sample of 119 independently living participants aged between 35 and 81 years. Statistical analyses were used to identify categorical variables associated with food-related oral discomfort, including age, oral health-related quality of life (OHQoL), saliva secretion, occluding support, oral diseases and denture use.

RESULTS

Food-related oral discomfort concerned 28.5% of the participants. Within the sample study, the risk of experiencing food-related oral discomfort was increased for participants perceiving average (OR = 7.968, CI 95% = 2.603-24.381, p = .000) or poor OHQoL (OR = 17.109, CI 95% = 4.398-66.552, p = .000) and presenting strictly fewer than 7 occlusal functional units (OFUs) (OR = 3.396, CI 95% = 1.206-9.561, p = .020). Textured foods including fibrous (66.6%), heterogenous (60.6%) and grainy foods (42.4%) were mostly cited as food-related oral discomfort trigger factors. Within the 66-80 years group, participants having 0-6 OFUs were four times more likely to experience oral discomfort related to fibrous foods than participants having more than 7 OFUs (OR = 4.812, CI 95% = 1.192-19.415, p = .024). Within this group, participants having their teeth replaced by denture were also four times more likely to develop oral discomfort related to foods with heterogeneous textures (OR = 4.714, CI 95% = 1.030-21.562, p = .045) and grainy foods (OR = 7.285, CI 95% = 1.308-40.568, p = .023) than non-denture wearers.

CONCLUSION

Poor oral health conditions may generate oral discomfort with foods in the elderly especially with fibrous, heterogenous and grainy textures, and thus affect mealtime experience.

Oral processing and comfort perception of soft cereal foods fortified with pulse proteins in the elderly with different oral health status

This study investigated the oral processing and bolus formation mechanisms of two soft cereal products fortified with pulse proteins, sponge-cake (FSC) and brioche (FB), in the elderly population, and their relationship with the perception of oral comfort. Twenty subjects aged 65 and over participated in the study. They were classified in two groups according to dental status (poor vs. satisfactory) and presented varying stimulated salivary flow rate (SSF). Bolus properties (hydration ratio, apparent viscosity and particle size) were characterized after three chewing stages. Results showed that subjects with a poor dental status (DS) had a longer chewing duration for FB, while individuals with a higher SSF had a shorter duration for FSC. Compared to FSC, more saliva was added to the FB boli, and the viscosity and particle size of FB bolus were also higher. Based on the bolus particle size evolution during chewing, FB was considered to be more difficult to fragment than FSC, this latter showing a dramatic particle size reduction from the beginning of chewing. From the viscosity data, a model was used to represent the variations of the bolus structure index during chewing and a coefficient of interaction of saliva with food was defined. For both products, the perception of comfort depended more on the DS than on SSF. Bolus apparent viscosity was related to the perception of oral comfort in FSC, while the chewing duration and the bolus particle size at the beginning of chewing contributed to explain oral comfort in FB. Finally, the comparison of these results with those obtained previoulsy with standard (i.e. non enriched) sponge cake and brioche suggested that the proposed protein fortification did not challenge the oral comfort perception by the elderly.