The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between the flow rate of saliva and characteristics of the food. Therefore, we determined the rate of saliva secretion in 16 healthy subjects in rest and while chewing natural and artificial foods (toast with and without margarine, three sizes of breakfast cake, and Parafilm). We also determined the chewing rate, number of chewing c...

Chewing is crushing food not only to aid swallowing and digestion, but also to help stress relief and regulate cognitive function, especially in attention. It is well known that chewing gum is used for sleepiness prevention during work, learning, and driving, suggesting a link between chewing and sustained attention. We hypothesized that chewing elevates attention and/or alertness, leading to i...

BACKGROUND/AIMS There are few reports on the correlation between chewing gum and the gastrointestinal functions. But previous report showed use of chewing gum to be an effective method for controlling gastrointestinal symptoms. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between chewing gum and gastric emptying using the continuous real time (13)C breath test (BreathID system). MET...

Night sleepiness in two groups of student volunteers who stayed awake for one night was assessed at standardized time (22:00, 01:00, 04:00, 07:00) by the Stanford Sleepiness Scale (SSS). One group (N=21) chewed the chewing gum from midnight until the end of the experiment in the morning, while the other group (N=43) was not chewing at all. The results show that both groups at the initial assess...

We examined the effect of oral breathing on respiratory movements, including the number of respirations and the movement of the thoracic wall at rest and while chewing gum. Forty normal nose breathers were selected by detecting expiratory airflow from the mouth using a CO2 sensor. Chest measurements were recorded using a Piezo respiratory belt transducer, and electromyographic (EMG) activity of...

BACKGROUND Psychosocial stress is accompanied by an increase in the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA)-axis and by an increase in food intake. At present, no studies have been conducted to examine the impact of a potent laboratory stress test on the chewing frequency. METHODS Thirty-one healthy participants (14 females, mean age 27.13) were compared after they had ful...

BACKGROUND The multiple functions of saliva play a significant role in the prevention of dental caries. METHODS Chewing gum is known to stimulate salivary flow, and the results of studies of the role of stimulated saliva in the oral clearance of food particles, neutralization of dental plaque acids and reduction of the incidence of dental caries have been reported. The author reviews the resu...

In recent years, there was a debate about the effects of gum chewing on various aspects of cognitive functioning. In this review, the results of previous studies are presented and summarized. There is a clear indication that gum chewing can improve various aspects of cognitive functioning including memory, attention and both executive and intellectual functioning. However, there is also clear e...

Age-related changes in mastication-induced brain neuronal activity have been suggested. However, in humans, little is known about the anatomical regions involved. Using fMRI during cycles of rhythmic gum-chewing and no chewing, we have examined the effect of aging on brain regional activity during chewing in young adult (19-26 yrs), middle-aged (42-55 yrs), and aged (65-73 yrs) healthy humans. ...

OBJECTIVE To assess the prevalence and risk factors of cigarette smoking and khat chewing. DESIGN College based cross sectional. SETTING Four colleges found in north west Ethiopia namely Gondar College of Medical Sciences, Gondar College of Teachers Education, Bahr Dar University Engineering Faculty, and Bahr Dar University Education Faculty. SUBJECTS All instructors in these colleges. ...