Dietary intake, food preferences, stimulated salivary flow rate, and masticatory ability in older adults with complete dentitions.

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine whether significant relationships exist among the masticatory ability, chewing-stimulated salivary flow rate, food preferences, and dietary intake of older adults with complete natural dentitions. Pearson r correlations revealed that significant relationships existed between: (1) salivary flow rate and eighteen out of the twenty-two nutrients comprising dietary intake; (2) masticatory ability and six out of the twenty-two nutrients comprising dietary intake; and (3) the perceived frequency of ingestion of the thirteen test foods and the dietary intake of thirteen of the nutrients comprising dietary intake. No significant relationships were found among salivary flow rate, masticatory ability, and food preferences. The amount of saliva accumulated in the mouth during the consumption of food may play an important role in food choices and subsequent intake of nutrients by older adults. Masticatory ability may not play as large a role as salivary flow rate in determining the selection and consumption of nutrient-rich foods.