Gender differences in chewing discomfort in older South Koreans

Abstract

Elderly Korean women experience more severe chewing discomfort than their male counterparts. The factors associated with chewing also differ by gender.

Association Between Chewing Difficulty and Symptoms of Depression in Adults: Results from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

“…18,23 Also, in the 2011 Community Health Survey in Korea, elderly women experienced more-severe chewing difficulties than men. 15 The link between chewing difficulties and symptoms of depression were greater when the interaction terms of chewing difficulties included age, sex, tooth brushing frequency, regular dental visits, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. Thus, it can be speculated that the association between chewing difficulties and symptoms of depression will increase with risk factors such as demographic characteristics, oral health behaviors, and general health status.…”

“…The association between symptoms of depression and chewing difficulty was strong in women, which is consistent with the observation that symptoms of depression are significantly more common in women than men . Also, in the 2011 Community Health Survey in Korea, elderly women experienced more‐severe chewing difficulties than men …”

“…Fourth, interaction terms between chewing difficulty and various confounders were analyzed using fully adjusted models. Fifth, because age and sex influenced chewing difficulty and symptoms of depression, 15,16 subgroup analyses were conducted to exclude the individual and combined effects of age and sex. Most of the studies conducted on this topic have focused on the relationship between depression and periodontal disease, dental caries, and temporomandibular disorder.…”

Differences in health‐related quality of life by sleep duration and subjective oral health in Korean adults with coronary artery disease

“…Subjective oral health level was assessed with the item, “What do you think of your overall oral health, such as the health of your teeth and gums?” Answers of “very good,” “good,” and “normal” were categorized as having “good” subjective oral health, and answers of “very bad” and “bad” were categorized as having “bad” oral health (Jung, Kim, Kim, & Ahn, ). Chewing discomfort was assessed with the item, “Do you currently feel difficulty or discomfort in chewing food due to problems relating to oral health, such as teeth, dentures, or gums?” Participants who answered with “severe discomfort” and “discomfort” were categorized as “yes,” whereas answers of “some discomfort,” “little discomfort,” and “no discomfort” were categorized as “no” (Kim, Kim, Ahn, Chung, & Kim, ).…”

“…Chewing discomfort was assessed with the item, "Do you currently feel difficulty or discomfort in chewing food due to problems relating to oral health, such as teeth, dentures, or gums?" Participants who answered with "severe discomfort" and "discomfort" were categorized as "yes," whereas answers of "some discomfort," "little discomfort," and "no discomfort" were categorized as "no" (Kim, Kim, Ahn, Chung, & Kim, 2015).…”