Association between masticatory dysfunction and gastroesophageal reflux disease: A population‐based study in the elderly

Abstract

The increasing life expectancy favours the appearance of typical diseases from ageing, including those in the stomatognathic system, increasing the need for oral health care in the elderly population. Such natural ageing process has relevant implications to oral health that should be understood and included in the public health policies worldwide. 1 Important organisations, including the World Dental Federation (FDI), the World Health Organization (WHO), the American Dental Association (ADA) and the Japanese Dental Association have been long discussed the oral health of the elderly. 2 The chewing process initiates the preparation of food for digestion, and it can be affected by the number of teeth in the mouth.Tooth losses often lead to an adaptation in food selection and the swallowing of larger food particles. Thus, masticatory performance may determine the average size of food fragments to be swallowed and digested, potentially causing gastrointestinal disorders. [3][4][5] Changes in the motility of the stomach may include a delay

Patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (both reflux oesophagitis and non‐erosive reflux disease): Prevalence and severity of erosive tooth wear and saliva properties

“…Other report examined saliva secretion in patients with proton‐pump inhibitor (PPI)‐resistant severe RO, and demonstrated that these patients have a significantly lower saliva secretion than the healthy control 6 . Recent population‐based study showed that GERD was associated with xerostomia 7 . The reduction of the saliva secretion in GERD patients might be related to not only the prolonged acid exposure time and oesophageal mucosa break, but also the prevalence of the ETW.…”

“…6 Recent population-based study showed that GERD was associated with xerostomia. 7 The reduction of the saliva secretion in GERD patients might be related to not only the prolonged acid exposure time and oesophageal mucosa break, but also the prevalence of the ETW. Few dental reports showed the lower saliva buffer capacity is related to the prevalence of ETW in patients with GERD, 8 but these GERD patients were not classified into the RO or NERD.…”