Natural food mastication capability in preschool children according to their oral condition: A preliminary study

Abstract

This study investigated, for the first time, the masticatory capability of preschool children using natural foods, and the impact of an early oral health alteration (early childhood caries: ECC) on the granulometry of ready-to-swallow food boluses. Thirteen children with ECC were compared to 13 preschool children with a healthy oral condition. Oral health criteria and NOT-S scores (Nordic Orofacial dysfunction Test-Screening) were recorded. For each child, number of masticatory cycles (Nc), chewing time (Ti), and frequency (Fq = Nc/Ti) were recorded during mastication of raw carrot (CAR), cheese (CHS) and breakfast cereals (CER) samples. Food boluses were collected by stopping children at their food-dependent individual swallowing threshold (Nc), and the median food bolus particle size value (D50) was calculated. Correlations were sought between oral health and masticatory criteria. In the ECC group, mean Fq values were significantly decreased for all three foods (p ≤ .001) and mean D50 values were significantly increased (p ≤ .001) compared to the control group (i.e., D50 CAR = 4,384 μm ± 929 vs. 2,960 μm ± 627). These alterations were related to the extent of ECC. The NOT-S mean global score was significantly increased in children with ECC (2.62 ± 1.37 vs. 1 ± 0.91 in the control group, p ≤ .01), due to "Mastication and swallowing" domain impairment. This study gives granulometric normative values for three foods in preschool children and shows the impact of ECC on D50 values. The progression of children's masticatory capability after dental treatment, and the impact of such modifications of sensory input on future eating habits should be explored.

Evaluation of the relationship between tooth decay and trabecular bone structure in pediatric patients using fractal analysis: a retrospective study

“…Underlying peripheral sensorimotor pathways mature as oral motor skills mature in childhood ( 13 ). It is important to understand the effects of dental caries on the jawbone to ensure the correct growth and development of the stomatognathic system because the growth and development process adapts to functional models.…”

Orofacial functions and oral health: An analysis on children aged 5–8 years old

“…However, in both studies, chewing and swallowing are reported to be the most affected domains but may also be due to the decayed, missing teeth, or incompatible restorations, although we did not find a significant difference. Also, for the first time, in a study comparing chewing ability between preschool children with and without ECC, it has been reported that the NOT‐S mean global score increased significantly due to the “chewing and swallowing” domain impairment (Linas et al, 2020). It is possible to say that dental treatments in children should not be canceled and that children should receive comprehensive dental treatment (including nutritional guidance and chewing rehabilitation programs).…”

“…The results indicate that 13.4% of healthy children had swallowing difficulties (signs and symptoms that may be indicative of unsafe swallowing and who may require further referral) with a score greater than 3 while only 1.0% of them had a score greater than 12, which is significantly less (1.08 ± 2.8) than those reported in other studies conducted on unhealthy children with esophagus dysphagia (23.58 ± 13.18), oropharyngeal dysphagia (23.10 ± 12.22), neurogenic dysphagia (19.42 ± 11.07), head and neck cancer (22.42 ± 14.06), reflux (11.71 ± 9.61), and voice problems (9.19 ± 12.60) (Belafsky et al, 2008; Demir et al, 2016; Serel Arslan, Kılınç, et al, 2018). The chewing ability, which is likely to get impaired by tooth decay and especially tooth loss, which is responsible for the reduction of sensory inputs from tooth receptors, can cause difficulty in swallowing due to inadequate food fragmentation and the production of insufficiently lubricated particles (Linas et al, 2020). In this study, 13.4% of children may show symptoms related to swallowing disorder due to dental problems.…”

Effects of Apple Form on Energy Intake During a Mid-Afternoon Snack: A Preload Paradigm Study in School-Aged Children

“…Dental status is particularly important to consider. A previous study suggested that dental caries may affect eating habits (21,22). Another study conducted in a Finnish interventional study [Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project (STRIP)] suggested a link between dental maturity, BMI, and energy intake in 148 children aged 6 to 12 years (43).…”

“…Some children might encounter chewing difficulties when eating harder foods, for example. Pioneering work from Linas and colleagues (21,22) reported that children presenting early childhood caries (ECC) have more eating difficulties and produce a reduced breakdown of hard foods in the oral cavity (as assessed from the granulometry of their food bolus collected at swallowing). Less information is available about the variability in oral processing behaviors among children with healthy dentition and how this can influence eating rate during a meal.…”