Chapter 14: Impact of Oral Health on Diet/Nutrition

An individual's oral health status has a profound impact on his/her acquisition and utilization of nutrients and interchangeably the nutrients an individual consumes determine the state of oral health by preventing tooth loss and oral diseases. Oral diseases have a considerable impact on the masticatory function which is a critical first step in oral processing of food materials for nutrient procurement. Specifically, a section of this chapter is dedicated to the physiology of masticatory function and to the recent acknowledgement of its influence on memory and cognition, both during development and aging. A description of the occlusal and skeletal pathologies that affect the balance of the chewing pattern and related muscular activation is provided. Intact neurocognitive functions and dentition are essential in mastication to achieve coordinated movements of the teeth and tongue to help propel the food material for ingestion and subsequent nutrient absorption. The tongue is equipped with chemoreceptive, gustatory cells, which modulate taste perception and contain metabolic hormones mediating satiety. Concomitantly, salivary processes, which are stimulated with the anticipation of food ingestion and those which occur during mastication of the food material, initiate digestive enzymes in the mouth and stomach and are important in affecting appetite and food bioavailability. Therefore, oral structures such as the dentition, tongue, and saliva in the context of mastication and nutrient acquisition will be reviewed as well as their impact on food choice and subsequent nutritional status.