Association between masticatory movement and oral and physical function in healthy older women

Chewing ability and its associated factors among community-dwelling older adults in Chengdu, China: A cross-sectional study

AIM

To investigate the current status of chewing ability and analyze the risk factors among Chinese community-dwelling older adults.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, color-changeable gum and a color difference meter were used to assess chewing ability in the population. The statistical analysis employed multivariate logistic regression models to identify and quantify the factors influencing chewing ability.

RESULTS

A total of 373 community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older in Chengdu, in the west of China, were included in this study; 64 individuals (17.2%) exhibited signs of poor chewing ability. Female (odds ratio [OR]: 0.124, 95% CI: 0.057-0.268, p < .001), education level with college degree and above (OR: 0.114, 95% CI: 0.030-0.434, p = .001), number of teeth less than 20 (OR: 5.401, 95% CI: 2.509-11.626, p < .001), and decreased oral diadochokinesis (OR: 4.445, 95% CI: 1.775-11.132, p = .001) were significant factors in chewing ability in this study, after adjustment for potential variables.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of decreased chewing ability among Chinese community-dwelling older adults was 17.2% and decreased chewing ability was associated with men, lower education level, less than 20 teeth and decreased oral diadochokinesis.

Oral Frailty as a Risk Factor for Fall Incidents among Community-Dwelling People

BACKGROUND

Identifying older adults with a high risk of falling and providing them with appropriate intervention are vital measures for preventing fall incidents. Scholars report that oral frailty, a decline in oral function, is related to physical function; thus, it bears a potential association with fall risks. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between fall incidents and the status of physical and oral frailty among a sample of residents in Osaka Prefecture.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

This study targeted community-dwelling people aged 50 years and older who responded to an annual questionnaire survey using a health app for 2 consecutive years, namely, 2020 and 2021. This study analyzed responses from 7591 (62 ± 7 years) participants and determined the status of their oral frailty and comprehensive and physical frailty using the Kihon Checklist.

RESULTS

In the 2020 and 2021 surveys, 17% and 19% of the participants exhibited oral frailty and experienced a fall in the previous year, respectively. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that oral frailty (adjusted odds ratio: 1.553) and physical frailty as well as low levels of awareness of frailty were significant explanatory variables of the occurrence of fall incidents during the subsequent year.

CONCLUSIONS

Future studies are required to elucidate the mechanisms by which oral frailty induces fall incidents.

Lip and tongue strength associated with chewing patterns in aging population

BACKGROUND

Improving chewing function of older adults increases the health-related quality of life. Few studies indicated the correlation between tongue, lip strength on masticatory performance in older people. The study aimed to investigate the association between lip, tongue strength on chewing pattern in aging population.

METHODS

The older adults had independent daily intake without assistance were enrolled. They had intact dentition and no periodontitis. To estimate the number of chewing strokes and chewing time by consuming a cornstarch cookie were used to represent chewing pattern. Lip and tongue pressure were evaluated with an Iowa Oral Performance Instrument. Linear regression analysis was used to analyze the lip and tongue pressure associated with the chewing time and strokes. Spearman's correlation analysis was utilized to evaluate the associations among chewing time and chewing strokes or lip and tongue pressure.

RESULTS

35 women and 35 men with an average age of 73.2 years were investigated. Tongue pressure was significantly related to the chewing time and the number of chewing strokes (p = 0.01 and 0.03). There was a close association between chewing time and the number of chewing strokes (p < 0.0001). The correlation between lip and tongue pressure was significant (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

The tongue strength significantly related to chewing ability in aging population. Increasing the tongue strength greatly reduced the number of chewing strokes and chewing time. Good masticatory ability could increase the motor function of tongue; raising the tongue strength might be able to improve mastication in older adults.

Factors related to masticatory performance in junior and senior high school students and young adults: A cross-sectional study

PURPOSE

Maintaining good masticatory function from a young age promotes lifelong health, yet limited studies have explored masticatory performance in young individuals. We investigated the relationship of sex, age, and individual oral functions with masticatory performance among junior and senior high school students and young adults.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included students aged 12-13, 14-15, and 16-17 years (groups S1, S2, and S3, respectively) and young adults aged 20-40 years (group YA). We assessed oral functions, the number of functional teeth, and anthropometric measurements. Masticatory performance was evaluated using color-changeable chewing gum. We analyzed sex-related differences in each group and age-related differences in each sex. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed using masticatory performance as the dependent variable to investigate related factors.

RESULTS

Among the 522 children and 100 young adults, males exhibited significantly higher masticatory performance than females in groups S1, S3, and YA. Among males, groups S2, S3, and YA exhibited significantly higher masticatory performance than group S1. Among females, group S2 exhibited higher masticatory performance than groups S1 and S3. Male sex, the maximum occlusal force and tongue pressure, and the number of functional teeth were significantly correlated with masticatory performance.

CONCLUSIONS

Masticatory function development differed by sex, with males exhibiting higher masticatory performance than females. We identified that male sex, the maximum occlusal force and tongue pressure, and the number of functional teeth were significantly associated with masticatory performance. Our findings provide a basis for masticatory performance assessment in different age groups.

Path pattern and movement during mastication on habitual and non-habitual chewing sides

PURPOSE

To clarify the presence or absence of differences in path pattern and movement during mastication between the habitual and non-habitual chewing sides.

METHODS

Participants were 225 healthy adults with natural dentition. Mandibular movement while chewing gummy jelly on each side was recorded, and masticatory path pattern was classified into five types (one normal and four abnormal). The frequency of each pattern was measured and compared between chewing sides. The amount, rhythm, velocity, and stability of movement and masticatory performance were measured and compared between chewing sides.

RESULTS

A normal pattern was observed on the habitual chewing side in 84.4% of participants. There was a significant difference between chewing sides in masticatory path pattern (χ² = 35.971, P < 0.001). Values of parameters regarding the amount and velocity of movement and masticatory performance were significantly higher on the habitual chewing side. Values of parameters regarding rhythm and stability of movement were significantly lower on the habitual chewing side.

CONCLUSION

The present findings of functional differences between chewing sides in terms of path pattern and movement during mastication suggest that these factors should be analyzed on the habitual chewing side.

Masticatory path pattern and masticatory performance while chewing gummy jelly

The purpose of this study was to clarify masticatory path pattern and masticatory performance during gummy jelly chewing. A total of 235 healthy adults were asked to chew gummy jelly for 20 s on each side, and the masticatory movement was recorded using a Motion Visi-Trainer (MVT V1). Next, the amount of glucose extraction was measured as a parameter of masticatory performance. The masticatory path was classified into one of five patterns newly devised: normal pattern (N, opening: straight or concave, closing: convex) and abnormal patterns (A1-A4). The number of occurrences of each pattern was investigated and compared by sex and path pattern. Next, masticatory performance was compared between the normal pattern and the abnormal patterns by sex. Pattern N was the most frequently expressed in 346 cases out of 470 cases (73.6%), followed by patterns A1, A4, A2, and A3 in that order. Regarding the number of patterns observed, pattern N was the most common in both sexes, followed by pattern A1, with no significant difference between sexes. The amount of glucose extraction in each pattern was the highest in pattern N for both sexes, followed by A2 and others in that order, and a significant difference was observed between the normal pattern and the abnormal patterns. From these results, the existence of sex difference in masticatory path patterns during gummy jelly chewing was not proven, and that masticatory performance was higher with normal patterns than with abnormal patterns.

Relationship between tongue pressure and handgrip strength: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Muscle strength decreases with age, causing a decline in physical and oro-facial function. However, the impact of physiological and pathophysiological factors on tongue pressure (TP) has not been clarified. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare and analyse TP and handgrip strength (HGS) between individuals aged <60 and ≥60 years, gender and need for care (independent older adults (IC) and older adults receiving nursing care (NC)). Furthermore, the effect of HGS in physical function on TP was examined.

METHODS

Human clinical studies reporting HGS and TP were searched systematically using PubMed and Ichushi-Web published from 1969 to Nov 2021. Random-effects meta-regressions were performed to compare between subgroups and to examine the association between HGS and TP (α < .05).

RESULTS

Forty-four studies with a total of 10 343 subjects were included. TP and HGS values were significantly higher in people aged <60 years relative to ≥60 years and in IC relative to NC (all p < .001). Regarding gender, there was no significant difference in TP (p = .370). However, a significant gender-dependent difference in TP was observed in people aged <60 years (p < .001), but not in aged ≥60 years in IC group (p = .118) and aged ≥60 years in NC group (p = .895). There was a significant positive correlation of HGS and TP (p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Similar to decrease in HGS, age-related sarcopaenia seems to have an effect on oro-facial muscles like the tongue. Research on rehabilitation measures for oro-facial muscle strength, similar to HGS might be beneficial to improve the personally acquired oro-facial potential.