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Gender effect on oral volume capacity
Weslania Viviane Nascimento1, Rachel Aguiar Cassiani, Roberto Oliveira Dantas
1Department of Medicine, Medical School of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, SP, Brazil.
Dysphagia
|November 29, 2011
Summary
Men can hold more liquid in their mouths than women, with larger oral volumes linked to facial measurements. This difference in intraoral maximum volume capacity was not influenced by age, BMI, or height.
Area of Science:
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
- Human Physiology
- Anthropometry
Background:
- Anatomical and functional sex-based differences exist in the oral cavity, pharynx, and esophagus.
- Understanding oral volume capacity is crucial for functions like swallowing and speech.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of gender, BMI, age, and orofacial measurements on intraoral maximum liquid volume capacity.
- To determine factors influencing the maximum volume of liquid held within the mouth.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 100 asymptomatic adults (56 female, 44 male) aged 19-53.
- Measured intraoral maximum liquid volume capacity by having participants suck water through a straw.
- Recorded orofacial anthropometric measurements, BMI, age, and height.
Main Results:
- Men (71.2 ± 15.0 ml) demonstrated a significantly greater intraoral maximum volume capacity than women (55.4 ± 13.4 ml).
- Positive correlation found between orofacial measurements and intraoral volume capacity.
- No significant influence of age, BMI, height, or tooth count on tolerated oral volume.
Conclusions:
- Men possess a greater intraoral maximum volume capacity for liquids compared to women.
- This difference is primarily associated with larger orofacial anthropometric measurements in men.
- Factors like age, BMI, height, and number of teeth do not appear to influence this sex-based difference in oral volume capacity.
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