Quantitative evaluation of number of chewing times and saliva secretion in adults with regard to different diet styles in japan and sri lanka

Abstract

Chewing is the process in which pieces of food are ground into a fine state, and mixed with saliva. The process of chewing is affected by characteristics of oral physiology, initial food properties, and neuromuscular control of chewing. The effect of food properties with different diet styles in Japan and Sri Lanka were examined in relation to both chewing and salivation. The study was conducted on ten adults each from Japan and Sri Lanka who were healthy without any dental illness and did not skip the main meal time. The participants were asked to fill a questionnaire regarding meal pattern, take a sample of saliva before and after the meals to weigh the amount of saliva. They were asked to record a video while eating to count the number of chewing times. The collected data were analysed using Mann–Whitney U test and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. The average chewing times was more in Japanese (776.1 times) than Sri Lankans (507.9times). The nutritious value of the food was nearly same for both parties. There was no statistically significant difference in salivation between Japanese (0.214g) and Sri Lankans (0.805g). The results of the study were influenced by several factors including the food habits, starters of the main meal, number of meal times, instruments using while eating, behavioural changes, mood swings of particular time, food preference. It was not possible to change the confounding factors affecting the study as it was a descriptive study. The study had shown that there was no significant correlation between chewing times and difference in salivation with regard to different diet styles in Japan and Sri Lanka.