Table 2.
State of oral health care and Self-perceived ability to chew food
| Variable | Number of residents (Percentage) | Means (95% CI) | Correlation coefficient between oral moisture and each variable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. State of oral health care | |||
| (1) Regular dental examination in the previous 6 months | |||
| NO | 511 (91.3) | – | 0.06 |
| Yes | 49 (8.8) | – | |
| (2) Frequency of tooth brushing per day | – | 1.65 (1.56–1.75) | 0.11* |
| (3) Frequency of gargling per day | – | 1.32 (1.20–1.44) | 0.12** |
| 2. Self-perceived ability to chew food | Means (95% CI) | Correlation coefficient between oral moisture and total score | |
| Fruits (non-pickled fruits, overripe/soft fruits, or juice) | |||
| 1.Sugar cane (not juice) | – | 5.24 (5.05–5.43) | – |
| 2.Sliced guava | – | ||
| 3.Sliced apple or pear | – | ||
| 4.Sliced orange | – | ||
| 5.Sliced star fruit or bell fruit | – | ||
| 6.Sliced melon or tangerine | – | ||
| 7.Sliced watermelon or pineapple | – | ||
| 8.Papaya or banana | – | ||
| (2) Fresh foods and meats | |||
| 1.Squid | – | 4.40 (4.17–4.60) | – |
| 2.Soy sauce-braised pork ears | – | ||
| 3.Fried chicken leg or chicken fillet | – | ||
| 4.Fish (steamed) | – | ||
| (3) Cooked vegetables (mainly scrambled or braised food) | |||
| 1.Stir-fried peanut | – | 5.87 (5.66–6.07) | – |
| 2.Boiled bamboo shoots or broccoli | – | ||
| 3.Sliced cucumber or kidney bean | – | ||
| 4.Water spinach or cabbage | – | ||
| 5.Pickled lettuce in soy sauce or pickled cucumber in soy sauce | |||
| 6.Sliced sweet pepper | – | ||
| 7.Steamed sweet potato or taro | – | ||
| 8.Overcooked tomato | – | ||
| (4) Sticky foods | |||
| Malt syrup nougat | – | 4.73 (4.45–5.00) | – |
| Mochi | – | ||
| Rice cake | – | ||
| Rice dumpling | – | ||
| Total score | – | 20.22 (19.45–20.98) | 0.07 |
Note: N = 560. * significant at p < 0.05; ** significant at p < 0.01. CI: confidence interval