Difficulties encountered during oral processing may cause food avoidance and increase the risk of malnutrition in older adults. The present survey aimed at comparing oral comfort experienced during consumption of apples in elderly and younger people. To do this, 122 participants divided into a senior group (65–83 years) and a control group (35–64 years) rated three varieties of apples (Gala, Granny Smith, Honey Crunch) using a “food comfortability” questionnaire related to general comfort, bolus formation, pain, texture, and taste sensations, and were assessed for their oral conditions. Each score of the “food comfortability” questionnaire was then submitted to a global principal component analysis and an analysis of variance. Apple variety was a significant factor for all items of the questionnaire. Age significantly affected dental pain, crunchiness, and melting sensation, with increased scores for pain and melting perception, and decreased scores for crunchiness when aging. Global comfort experienced while eating apple was also impacted by dental status and resting saliva flow rate. Bolus moistening was related to stimulated saliva flow rate, and its fragmentation was dependant on denture use. Painful sensations depended on self‐reported oral quality of life and sweet taste perception was influenced by the presence of oral mucosal disease. Apple variety is a good predictor of oral comfort experienced while eating. Altough age has a little effect on pain and texture perception, oral conditions such as missing teeth or denture use also contribute to oral comfort when consuming apples.

Impaired oral conditions are described as influencing food intake behaviour and contributing to poor nutritional status in elderly persons. In order to evaluate the influence of age and oral factors on food choice among independently living elderly, we investigated food selectivity and oral health status in elders (aged over 65 years) and in younger people (aged between 35 and 64 years). Food selective behaviour was appraised by using a food selectivity questionnaire based on traditional French dishes. A stepwise binary logistic regression analysis was done to sequentially identify age and oral conditions associated with oral discomfort–related food avoidance. Occlusal status and oral health–related quality of life contributed to food choice. Risk of oral discomfort–related food avoidance was significantly increased in people with fewer than seven occlusal functional units (OFUs) and with Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index summary scores (GOHAI‐ADD) indicating poor and average oral health–related quality of life (P < .05). Age was never a significant factor of food selective behaviour. The present data support the impact of occlusal status and oral health–related quality of life on food behaviour. Specific attention should be given in maintaining or restoring good oral conditions throughout the lifespan, especially occluding teeth.

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.