Objectives: Declined masticatory function has recently been receiving attention as a risk factor for poor general health. The present longitudinal analysis was conducted to clarify the relationship between decreased masticatory performance and the development of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a general urban cohort in Japan.Methods: We surveyed 599 participants (254 men, 345 women; mean age at baseline, 65.8 ± 7.8 years) who underwent physical health checkups in the Suita study. We evaluated masticatory performance at baseline using test gummy jelly and divided participants into two groups: a “Lower group,” comprising participants in the lower 25% of the masticatory performance at baseline; and a “Normal group,” comprising all others. We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for the Lower group by using Cox proportional hazard regression analysis to develop the MetS and the components of the MetS at follow-up, adjusting for age, smoking status, and periodontal status.Results: On Cox proportional hazard regression analysis, the multivariable adjusted hazard ratio for the development of the MetS in the Lower group was 2.24 (95% confidence interval, 1.12–4.50) in men. The multivariable adjusted hazard ratio for the development of high blood pressure was 3.12 (1.42–6.87), for high triglycerides was 2.82 (1.18–6.76), and for high fasting plasma glucose was 2.65 (1.00–7.00) in men.Conclusions: Lower masticatory performance suggested to be a risk factor for the development of the MetS as well as MetS components such as high blood pressure, high triglycerides, and high fasting plasma glucose in Japanese men.

Decreases in masticatory function are believed to be related to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) through inappropriate nutritional intake. This study focused on maximum bite force (MBF), which is an objective, quantitative index of masticatory function, and its association with the development of CVD (stroke and coronary heart disease) was investigated. The subjects were 1547 participants of the Suita study with no history of CVD who underwent medical and dental health examinations between June 2008 and June 2013. In addition to undergoing a basic physical examination at baseline, their MBF was measured. They subsequently underwent follow-up surveys for the development of CVD (mean follow-up, 3.5 years). The association between baseline MBF and the development of CVD was investigated by multivariate adjustment using a Cox proportional hazards model. CVD developed in 32 subjects during follow-up. The trend test showed a significant association between baseline MBF and CVD in a model that combined men and women. When analysed by sex, the trend test found a significant association between baseline MBF and CVD in women. Low MBF, which is an objective and quantitative index of masticatory function, may be a risk factor for the development of CVD.

Purpose: A decrease in posterior occlusal support is considered to increase the load on remaining teeth and thus accelerate tooth loss. Therefore, a follow-up study was carried out to perform a longitudinal analysis of the association between the posterior occlusal support region and tooth loss. Methods: The participants of the study were 806 Suita Study participants who underwent physical health checkups both at baseline and at follow-up. The participants were classified into three groups by posterior occlusal support area (POSA) using the Eichner Index at baseline: Perfect POSA group, Eichner A; Decreased POSA group, Eichner B1-3; and Lost POSA group, Eichner B4 and Eichner C1-2. Participants were also classified into two groups according to whether they had tooth loss during the follow-up period. Tooth loss risk factors were investigated through the construction of logistic regression models with tooth loss as the dependent variable and posterior occlusal support, sex, age, periodontal disease, stimulated salivary flow rate, smoking habit, drinking habit, denture wearing, utilization of dental services, brushing habits, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis and number of years of follow-up as independent variables. Results: In the results of the logistic regression model, the adjusted odds ratio (95%CI) for tooth loss with the Perfect POSA group as the reference was 3.19 (1.98-5.14) for the Decreased POSA group and 4.57 (1.97-10.62) for the Lost POSA group. Conclusions: This study showed that decreased POSA accelerated tooth loss in the general urban population.

Aim We aimed to clarify the association between deterioration of periodontal status and masticatory performance in a longitudinal follow‐up study of a general urban population. Materials and methods This study investigated 663 participants in the Suita study with no changes in the number of functional teeth or occlusal support areas during a 5‐year follow‐up period. Participants were classified into three groups according to changes in periodontal status during the survey period: a recovered group; a stable group; and a deteriorated group. Rate of masticatory performance change was calculated by subtracting the value at baseline from the value at follow‐up and dividing the resulting value by the baseline value. Results Median rates of masticatory performance change were −11.7% in the recovered group, −19.2% in the stable group, and −30.8% in the deteriorated group, and these values were significantly different (p < .001). Multiple regression analysis revealed periodontal status group (recovered group: reference; stable group: p = .029; deteriorated group: p = .006) as an independent variable was significantly associated with the rate of masticatory performance change. Conclusion The present results suggest that deterioration of periodontal status increases the risk of age‐related declines in masticatory performance.

No abstract