Perceived masticatory function among elderly people

This study investigated the status and associations of perceived chewing ability of a group of 891 elderly people, aged 55-91 years (average age 66 years). The majority of subjects (69%) considered that they could chew well. Only 9% reported poor chewing ability. This judgement was not associated with age. More men (11%) than women (6%) had reported poor chewing ability. Subjects with better perceived general and craniomandibular health reported better chewing ability. However, although related to permanent tooth loss, the perception of chewing ability was not seemingly associated with prosthetic rehabilitation. All elderly subjects with complete dental arches had no complaints of perceived chewing difficulty. Freedom from symptoms of craniomandibular pain when chewing, bilateral chewing activity and a wide choice of food range or textures were associated with favourably perceived chewing ability. This study identifies several suitable criteria for judging masticatory function and suggests that these may be used to complement chewing ability as an alternative measure of masticatory performance. These criteria are applicable to the elderly person, in particular, and warrant adequate clinical application.