Periodical utilization of dental services is an effective breakthrough for declining masticatory performance: the Suita study

Masticatory performance of subjects from a general urban population was examined by measurement at baseline and again at follow-up, to clarify whether periodical utilization of dental services (PUDS) is effective in maintaining masticatory performance. Subjects comprised 1010 people (414 males, 596 females; mean age at baseline, 65.7 ± 7.8 years) who participated in the Suita study with dental checkups at both baseline and follow-up (mean follow-up, 5.2 ± 1.5 years). Number of functional teeth, occlusal support, periodontal status, masticatory performance, maximum bite force, and salivary flow rate were surveyed. Subjects were divided into a with-PUDS group (n = 430), who responded at both baseline and follow-up that they regularly utilized dental services, and a without-PUDS group (n = 580), who responded otherwise. To evaluate longitudinal changes in masticatory performance over the study period, the rate of masticatory performance change was calculated by dividing the difference in masticatory performance between follow-up and baseline by the masticatory performance at baseline. The relationship between the presence of PUDS and the rate of masticatory performance change was investigated by multiple linear regression analysis. Analysis was performed using a model with number of functional teeth as an independent variable (number of functional teeth model), and a model with occlusal support as an independent variable (occlusal support model). Multiple linear regression analysis identified PUDS as significantly associated with the rate of masticatory performance change in both the number of functional teeth model and the occlusal support model. PUDS is likely to prove effective in ameliorating reductions in masticatory performance over time.