Abstract
Masticatory function can be evaluated objectively as the capacity of an individual to fragment solid food after a fixed number of chewing cycles, the so-called masticatory performance (MP). The objective of this study was to evaluate the reliability of four different test materials (Optosil, Optocal, Zetapuls, and Perfil) and five disinfection protocols by aspersion and immersion (no disinfection, 2% glutaraldehyde, 2% chlorhexidine, 5.25% sodium hypochlorite, and 70% alcohol) on the MP, determined at three moments (24 hours, 15 and 60 days) after storing the fragmented blocks. MP was evaluated by calculating X50 through the sieving technique and the Rosim-Ramler equation. The weight and microbiologic count (colony forming units, CFUs) of chewed blocks were measured to identify any variations that would make MP determination unfeasible. Differences in MP were observed among the materials (p < 0.01). Perfil presented the highest X50 value (worst MP determination), followed by Zetaplus (both p < 0.05), Optosil, and Optocal (both p > 0.05). The time and disinfection type had no influence on MP (p > 0.05). The number of CFUs differed between the nondisinfected group and all other disinfection groups at all time points (p < 0.01). No other significant difference in CFU count between disinfection groups was observed. In conclusion, disinfection did not alter the reliability of the test materials for the MP calculation for up to 60 days.
Highlights
Masticatory function can be measured by various means, masticatory performance (MP) testing is the most commonly used objective method
When Perfil was used as a test material, chlorhexidine presented the worst result
Perfil showed the highest values for particle size (p < 0.05) in all the tested disinfectants, with Optosil and Optocal showing the best results (Table 2)
Summary
Food is broken down into smaller particles to facilitate enzymatic processing and swallowing.[1,2] masticatory function can be measured by various means, masticatory performance (MP) testing is the most commonly used objective method. MP is defined as the capacity of an individual to fragment a solid natural or artificial test food during mastication.[3] A decline in MP may result in changes in the diet, as some foods become difficult to eat.[4,5,6,7]. The test material used to determine MP should provide an ideal bolus for the scientific study of mastication.[3,8,9,10,11,12] A natural food has the advantage that it is normally consumed. The consistency of the food may vary due to seasonal and geographical influences, and the food may
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