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Effects of Oral Health and Functional Characteristics on Taste Sensitivity in Older Adults: Comparative Analysis Using Solution and Taste Strip Tests

2026-03-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Effects of Oral Health and Functional Characteristics on Taste Sensitivity in Older Adults: Comparative Analysis Using Solution and Taste Strip Tests Authors: Jung, Hyo-Jung; Lee, Hye Jin; Cho, Yehin; Ahn, Hyung-Joon Abstract: Background: Taste sensitivity declines with age, adversely affecting dietary intake and quality of life. However, the effects of oral health and function on gustatory ability in older adults remain unclear. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between oral health characteristics and taste sensitivity in older adults using solution and strip-based gustatory tests. Methods: One hundred older adult participants (age: >= 65) were assessed for dental status, denture use, salivary flow, swallowing function, and subjective taste impairment. Taste sensitivity for five modalities was measured using solution and taste strip tests. Statistical analyses included group comparisons and correlation coefficients. Results: Participants reporting subjective hypogeusia exhibited significantly lower total taste scores in solution and strip tests than those without (p < 0.01). Those with < 20 remaining teeth and users of mandibular dentures had lower umami scores than those with more teeth and no mandibular dentures (p < 0.05). Hyposalivation did not affect solution-based scores but was associated with lower total strip test scores (p < 0.05). Swallowing impairment was correlated with lower solution test scores, particularly for salty and umami (p < 0.01). Women had higher salivary flow and umami sensitivity, but overall gustatory function did not differ by sex. Solution and strip test scores were moderately correlated. Conclusion: Taste perception in older adults is differentially influenced by salivary and swallowing functions, and the concordance between solution- and strip-based tests varies according to oral functional status and taste modality. Our results suggest that these methods capture complementary aspects of gustatory function and should be interpreted based on oral function in this population.

Taste Dysfunction in Oral Candidiasis: Impact of Candida Carriage and Hyphal Presence

2026-02-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Taste Dysfunction in Oral Candidiasis: Impact of Candida Carriage and Hyphal Presence Authors: Park, Younjung; Jung, Hyo-Jung; Hwang, Sin Hye; Cho, Eunae Sandra; Ahn, Hyung-Joon Abstract: Background Taste dysfunction is a common symptom of oral candidiasis; however, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear.Objectives This study aimed to determine whether Candida albicans carriage, particularly its hyphal phenotype, is associated with impaired taste sensitivity.Patients/Methods Fifty-seven participants were divided into three groups: noncarriers (n = 20), carriers without hyphae (n = 20), and carriers with hyphae (n = 17). Tongue biofilm samples were collected for Candida culture and smear tests. Salivary flow rates were measured, and taste sensitivity was assessed using standardised taste strips. Carriers underwent topical fluconazole treatment, and post-treatment taste sensitivity was re-evaluated.Results Carriers exhibited reduced sensitivity to sweet and bitter tastes, with an additional decline in umami sensitivity among those with hyphae. In addition, both unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow rates were significantly lower in Candida carriers than in noncarriers. Topical fluconazole treatment resulted in a marked reduction in hyphae and significant improvement in taste sensitivity.Conclusions This study revealed differences in salivary flow and taste sensitivity between noncarriers and Candida albicans carriers. The presence of hyphal forms was strongly associated with greater impairment in taste function. Improvement following antifungal therapy suggests that hyphal invasion may play a key role in the pathogenesis of taste dysfunction in oral candidiasis.

Multimodal deep learning with anatomically constrained attention for screening MRI-detectable TMJ abnormalities from panoramic images

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Multimodal deep learning with anatomically constrained attention for screening MRI-detectable TMJ abnormalities from panoramic images Authors: Jung, Hyo-Jung; Ju, Dayun; Kim, Chanyoung; Hwang, Seong Jae; Lee, Chena; Park, Younjung Abstract: Early diagnosis of temporomandibular disorders is challenging. Particularly, intra-articular temporomandibular joint (TMJ) abnormalities can only be confirmed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study aimed to develop a comprehensive screening method for MRI-detectable TMJ pathologies. We developed an interpretable deep learning framework that leveraged paired open- and closed-mouth TMJ panoramic radiographs and structured clinical metadata. The architecture integrated anatomically guided attention, multimodal clinical features, and ensemble learning for enhanced diagnostic accuracy and interpretability. Across 1355 patients (2710 joints), the best-performing ensemble framework achieved an area under the curve of 0.86, with a balanced classification of MRI-negative and -positive cases. Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping visualizations confirmed a consistent focus on the condylar regions, and ablation studies demonstrated the added value of clinical metadata and spatial attention. In conclusion, our prototype workflow can be useful to triage TMJ patients for MRI referral, thus supporting early detection of TMJ abnormalities and timely interventions.

Epidemiology and sociodemographic determinants of chronic temporomandibular disorders in South Korea: a nationwide population-based study

2025-12-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Epidemiology and sociodemographic determinants of chronic temporomandibular disorders in South Korea: a nationwide population-based study Authors: Park, Younjung; Yoon, Sora; Yoon, Joon-Ho; Yoo, Jin-Joo Abstract: BackgroundTo investigate the epidemiological prevalence and sociodemographic determinants of chronic temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in South Korea using a standardized case definition from national healthcare data, with emphasis on age, sex, socioeconomic status, and residential distribution.MethodsData from the Korean National Health Insurance Service (2006 to 2019) were analyzed. Patients aged >= 20 years with three or more TMD-related visits (K07.6) were classified as chronic TMD. Sociodemographic factors included age, sex, income quintiles, and residential region. Treatment modalities were evaluated through associated diagnostic, medication, and procedural codes.ResultsStandardized prevalence of chronic TMD increased from 6.28 per 10,000 in 2010 to 12.09 in 2016, stabilizing at 9.53 in 2019. Female predominance was observed (66%), though the female-to-male ratio decreased from 2.37 to 1.68 over the study period. The highest prevalence occurred in the 20-29 year cohort (0.21%), with higher rates among high-income groups. Additionally, 49.3% of cases were concentrated in metropolitan areas. Pharmacotherapy represented the predominant intervention (95.92%), while invasive procedures such as arthrocentesis (1.07%) and TMJ surgery (0.63%) were infrequently employed.ConclusionsThis comprehensive analysis reveals distinct sociodemographic gradients and treatment preferences, providing valuable insights for healthcare planning, and highlighting the need for further research on TMD's relationship with socioeconomic factors.