Oral function and vertical jump height among healthy older people in Japan

Objective: Vertical jump height and oral function affect the general muscle condition. This study aimed to evaluate the association between vertical jump height and oral function among healthy older individuals. Basic research design: Cross-sectional analytic study. Participants: 231 independent older people (mean age, 74.4 ± 5.6 years) who participated in the Kyoto Elders Physical Fitness Measurement Research Project. Individuals with partial or complete edentulousness who did not use a prosthetic device or complained of oral/maxillofacial pain were excluded from the study. Interventions: Grip strength was measured using a Smedley Hand Dynamometer. To measure masticatory performance, the participants were instructed to chew a gummy jelly on their habitual chewing side (left or right) for 20 s. Occlusal force, contact area, and pressure were also assessed. Main outcome measures: The outcome variable was vertical jump height. The predictor variables were physical status (age, body mass index, and grip strength), oral status (number of present teeth and denture use), and oral function (masticatory performance, occlusal force, occlusal contact area, occlusal pressure, and tongue pressure). These relationships were evaluated with univariate analysis, and then multiple regression analysis was performed with age as the covariate for each male and female participant. Results: Vertical jump height was significantly associated with grip strength in both men and women. Moreover, in women, it was associated with masticatory performance, occlusal force, and occlusal contact area. Conclusions: Vertical jump height was closely associated with oral function among healthy older women.