Effects of Oral Health and Functional Characteristics on Taste Sensitivity in Older Adults: Comparative Analysis...

Taste sensitivity declines with age, adversely affecting dietary intake and quality of life. However, the effects of oral health and function on gustatory ability in older adults remain unclear.

To evaluate the relationship between oral health characteristics and taste sensitivity in older adults using solution and strip-based gustatory tests.

One hundred older adult participants (age: ≥ 65) were assessed for dental status, denture use, salivary flow, swallowing function, and subjective taste impairment. Taste sensitivity for five modalities was measured using solution and taste strip tests. Statistical analyses included group comparisons and correlation coefficients.

Participants reporting subjective hypogeusia exhibited significantly lower total taste scores in solution and strip tests than those without (p < 0.01). Those with < 20 remaining teeth and users of mandibular dentures had lower umami scores than those with more teeth and no mandibular dentures (p < 0.05). Hyposalivation did not affect solution-based scores but was associated with lower total strip test scores (p < 0.05). Swallowing impairment was correlated with lower solution test scores, particularly for salty and umami (p < 0.01). Women had higher salivary flow and umami sensitivity, but overall gustatory function did not differ by sex. Solution and strip test scores were moderately correlated.

Taste perception in older adults is differentially influenced by salivary and swallowing functions, and the concordance between solution- and strip-based tests varies according to oral functional status and taste modality. Our results suggest that these methods capture complementary aspects of gustatory function and should be interpreted based on oral function in this population.