Abstract
This study investigated chewing function in elderly individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and correlated chewing function with cognitive status. Sixteen elderly individuals with mild AD (mean age 76.7±6.3years; 8 men, 8 women) and 16 age and gender-matched healthy controls (mean age 75.23±4.4years; 8 men, 8 women) were included in this study. All volunteers wore removable prostheses: 11 were totally edentulous and five were partially edentulous in each group. Chewing function was evaluated via masticatory performance (MP) using Optocal chewable test material and a sieve fractionation method. Cognitive functioning was assessed by the Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE), administered by a trained examiner. Data were analyzed by non-paired t test and Pearson's correlation with α=0.05. Compared to controls, mild AD patients had decreased MP (P<0.01) and MMSE (P=0.01). MP showed a moderate negative correlation with MMSE (r=-0.69). Mild AD was associated with impaired chewing function. Knowledge that mild AD has an impact on chewing is important for dental professionals in decision-making related to prosthetics and general dental treatment.
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