Abstract：
OBJECTIVE: Japanese children have been shown to exhibit decreased masticatory function; however, limited evidence is available regarding the efficacy of certain food items in improving this issue. Therefore, this study examined the effects of chewing hard gummy candy on the masticatory function of Japanese children aged 6-12 years.
METHODS: The study included 26 participants (10 boys and 16 girls; mean age ± standard error = 9.3 ± 0.3 years) who were asked to chew hard gummy candy twice daily for 4 weeks at home. The lip-closing force, occlusal force, and masticatory performance of the participants were recorded before commencement (T1), 4 weeks after commencement (T2), and 4 weeks after completion (T3) of the training. Statistical analyses were performed using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test or the Wilcoxon signed-rank test with Bonferroni correction.
RESULTS: No significant differences in masticatory function by gender and age groups (defined based on mean age at T1) were observed at T1. The lip-closing and right occlusal forces increased significantly after 4 weeks of exercise, and the effects persisted for another 4 weeks after completion. The masticatory performance also improved after training, although these effects did not persist and deteriorated substantially 4 weeks after completion of the training.
CONCLUSIONS: Habitual mastication training using hard gummy candy markedly enhances masticatory function (e.g., lip-closing force, occlusal force, and masticatory performance) in Japanese children.
METHODS: The study included 26 participants (10 boys and 16 girls; mean age ± standard error = 9.3 ± 0.3 years) who were asked to chew hard gummy candy twice daily for 4 weeks at home. The lip-closing force, occlusal force, and masticatory performance of the participants were recorded before commencement (T1), 4 weeks after commencement (T2), and 4 weeks after completion (T3) of the training. Statistical analyses were performed using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test or the Wilcoxon signed-rank test with Bonferroni correction.
RESULTS: No significant differences in masticatory function by gender and age groups (defined based on mean age at T1) were observed at T1. The lip-closing and right occlusal forces increased significantly after 4 weeks of exercise, and the effects persisted for another 4 weeks after completion. The masticatory performance also improved after training, although these effects did not persist and deteriorated substantially 4 weeks after completion of the training.
CONCLUSIONS: Habitual mastication training using hard gummy candy markedly enhances masticatory function (e.g., lip-closing force, occlusal force, and masticatory performance) in Japanese children.
摘要：
目的：日本儿童表现出咀嚼功能下降；然而，关于某些食品在改善这一问题方面的功效的证据有限。因此,这项研究检查了咀嚼硬软糖对6-12岁日本儿童咀嚼功能的影响。
方法：该研究包括26名参与者（10名男孩和16名女孩；平均年龄±标准误差=9.3±0.3岁），他们被要求在家中每天两次咀嚼坚硬的软糖，持续4周。嘴唇闭合力，咬合力,并在开始前(T1)记录参与者的咀嚼表现，开始后4周（T2），以及训练完成(T3)后4周。使用Wilcoxon秩和检验或具有Bonferroni校正的Wilcoxon符号秩检验进行统计分析。
结果：在T1时没有观察到咀嚼功能和性别之间的相关性。运动4周后，闭合唇力和右咬合力显著增加，完成后，效果持续了4周。经过训练后咀嚼性能也有所改善，尽管这些效果没有持续，并且在训练结束后4周明显恶化。
结论：使用硬软糖的习惯性咀嚼训练显着增强咀嚼功能（例如，唇闭力,咬合力,和咀嚼表演）在日本儿童中。
方法：该研究包括26名参与者（10名男孩和16名女孩；平均年龄±标准误差=9.3±0.3岁），他们被要求在家中每天两次咀嚼坚硬的软糖，持续4周。嘴唇闭合力，咬合力,并在开始前(T1)记录参与者的咀嚼表现，开始后4周（T2），以及训练完成(T3)后4周。使用Wilcoxon秩和检验或具有Bonferroni校正的Wilcoxon符号秩检验进行统计分析。
结果：在T1时没有观察到咀嚼功能和性别之间的相关性。运动4周后，闭合唇力和右咬合力显著增加，完成后，效果持续了4周。经过训练后咀嚼性能也有所改善，尽管这些效果没有持续，并且在训练结束后4周明显恶化。
结论：使用硬软糖的习惯性咀嚼训练显着增强咀嚼功能（例如，唇闭力,咬合力,和咀嚼表演）在日本儿童中。
