Masticatory function in elderly compared to young adults.
Verônica Fernandes Ramos, Anderson Francisco Silva, Melissa Picinato-Pirola
PMID 34705926WHAT IT FOUND
Older adults chewed more strokes and took longer than young adults, yet scored lower on masticatory function.
Among older adults, those who used dental prostheses had higher masticatory scores.
Key findings
01Older adults had more masticatory strokes, longer masticatory time, and a lower percentage of possible masticatory score than young adults.
02Among older adults, those who used dental prostheses had higher total mastication scores than those who did not.
03Young adults mostly used alternated bilateral mastication, while older adults mostly used simultaneous bilateral mastication.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study is cross-sectional, so it can show associations but cannot prove that dental prostheses improve masticatory function. The young group was required to have no missing teeth and normal occlusion, while the older group could have missing teeth and prostheses, so age differences and dental status are mixed together. Different mastication protocols with different maximum scores were used for the two age groups, and comparison depended on converting scores to percentages. Only 50 participants were enrolled, with 25 in each group, from one speech-language pathology laboratory. Weight and height for BMI were self-reported, and the older group's dental history included prostheses and missing teeth, which may affect chewing.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that dental prostheses improve masticatory function. The study only compared older adults who already used prostheses with those who did not, and it did not test prosthetic treatment or show cause.