Open AccessAging and Sex Effects on Mastication Performance in Healthy, Nondysphagic, Community-Dwelling Adults
Author(s) -
Erin M Milford,
Bin Wang,
Kimberly G. Smith,
Dahye Choi,
Bonnie MartinHarris,
Kendrea L Focht Garand
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
american journal of speech-language pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.993
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1558-9110
pISSN - 1058-0360
DOI - 10.1044/2019_ajslp-19-00097
Subject(s) - mastication , swallowing , medicine , dentistry
Purpose This study investigated the impact of age and sex on mastication performance in healthy, nondysphagic, community-dwelling adults as observed during videofluoroscopy. Method Videofluoroscopic swallowing study imaging and mastication performance metrics (cycles, duration) were used to evaluate 185 healthy individuals (102 women, 83 men) aged 21-89 years. Results A significant effect of age on mastication cycles was not observed; however, a significant but weak effect of age on mastication duration was found. Female participants were observed to have significantly more mastication cycles and longer mastication durations compared to male participants. Three behavioral patterns of mastication performance emerged. Conclusions The results of this study contribute to normative data of mastication performance. An individual's sex was found to have a significant effect on mastication performance, although, in contrast to previous studies, age was not observed to significantly alter mastication performance. Differences in study methodologies likely explain the latter finding.