Factors associated with a reduced food intake after third molar extraction among adults: a cross-sectional study

Functional impairment after third molar extraction may decrease the food intake. Elucidation of associated factors will contribute to a more appropriate postoperative nutritional management, and was the aim of the present study.

Adults aged < 60 years who were admitted for an extraction of one or more mandibular third molars were included. Those with diabetes mellitus, anemia, metabolic diseases, mental retardation, altered dietary intake, and postoperative paralysis of the lower lip and tongue were excluded. Patient-specific risk factors were compared in relation to a decrease in the food intake on postoperative day 1. Multivariate analysis took into account the patients' background factors.

A total of 254 patients were included (median age: 26.8 ± 9.3 years, 142 women); 508 third molars were extracted. Postoperative dietary intake reduction was more common (p < 0.05) after an exclusively mandibular extraction (16.0%) than after an extraction including the maxilla (29.4%). The reduction was also more common (p < 0.05) for an extraction difficulty of Pell-Gregory class III (39.5%) than for extraction difficulties of Pell-Gregory classes I (22.6%) and II (21.3%). The reduction was also more common (p < 0.05) in patients who experienced postoperative pain (66.7%) than in those who did not (23.3%). Significant differences were observed in sex (women: 34.5%, men: 11.6%) and age (young patients [< 26 years]: 31.1%, adult patients [≥ 26 years]: 17.2%); however, no significant difference was found in terms of experiencing trismus (p < 0.11). Simple regression analysis showed significant differences between patients who did and did not have a reduced postoperative food intake depending on the sex, age, extraction site, degree of extraction difficulty, trismus, and postoperative pain. Reduced dietary intake was significantly associated with sex (odds ratio [OR]: 0.30; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.14-0.38), age (OR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.0-2.5), extraction site (OR: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.31-0.83), difficulty of extraction (OR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.50-0.88), and postoperative pain (OR: 0.12; 95% CI: 0.04-0.37).

A younger age, female sex, extraction including the maxilla with deep implantation, and complaints of pain on postoperative day 1 were factors associated with a decreased food intake after third molar extraction.