No abstract

This investigation indicated that measurable declines in masticatory function due to missing teeth, with and without prosthetic replacements, alter perceptual estimates of food acceptability. Using 1,133 male participants from the Veterans Administration Dental Longitudinal Study, individuals were classified into nine dentition categories to evaluate the effect of impaired masticatory ability. The data demonstrated that when limited declines in perceived masticatory function occur, perceptual estimates of Taste Acceptability, Texture Acceptability, and Ingestion Frequency for the 13 test foods utilized are not significantly modified. In contrast, when more severe dentition losses occur, the rheological properties of each food determine the degree to which these perceptual measures, especially Perceived Ease of Chewing, will be altered. Although restorative therapy can lead to concomitant improvements in masticatory function, low perceptual responses may still be observed. These appear to be largely a function of the physical attributes of the foods ingested.

The current cross-sectional investigation was undertaken to determine whether observed losses in masticatory function due to missing teeth impair perceptual estimates of food acceptability. To quantify the effect of impaired masticatory ability, 566 male participants from the Veterans Administration Dental Longitudinal Study were subdivided into three age groups (less than 40 years, 40 to 49 years, and 50 or more years) and three dentition categories (intact, partially compromised, and compromised). Bivariate analysis revealed that dentition status significantly influenced the acceptance modalities of taste, texture, perceived ease of chewing, and frequency of ingestion. Age, per se, had little effect. Significant changes in the acceptance variables were noted only in persons with compromised dentition. These findings suggested that a moderate degree of unreplaced tooth loss had no significant effect on perceptual estimates of food acceptability, and unilateral intact dentition can provide sufficient masticatory performance for maintaining food acceptance.