The effect of salivary flow rate on the food mastication in children

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To develop the study of mechanism for food mastication in children who have decidious dentition, we approached from the aspects of chewing and tasting of food, secreted saliva, and swallowing of food bolus.We applied the chewing-spit technique described by Edger et al. to children for the first time, and established a method for the studying on the food mastication In children. We also established the formula to calculate the percentage of food either inadvertently swallowed or retained in the mouth and not expectorated.In the main study, the normal weight of food per mouthful, the normal chewing time for one mouthful and the water content of the food bolus in each subjects showed surprisingly regular values when used the same foods and amounts. The mean - chewing time per I g of each food was inversely related to the initial water content of the food. The percent water content of the food bolus showed significant correlation to the initial water content of each food and also showed that it needed at least 50 % of the water content to swallow. Although the salivary flow rates in response to given foods and amounts in each subjects. Our study also revealed that the effect of the gustatory stimulation of foods was much more important than the mechanical stimulation from chewing in producing the flow of saliva.In conclusion, our study revealed that the water content of the food bolus, in case of soft foods, could be one of the important factors in the decision to swallow, and the salivary flow secreted by some food textures such as taste and the percent water content of food were of great importance to the food mastication In children.