Abstract
Purpose: The sense of taste is conventionally evaluated by putting some taste solutions into the mouth and then investigating the taste perception threshold. However, there have been few studies examining the spread of taste in the mouth in terms of masticatory process. The purpose of this study was to develop a new gustatory test depending upon a quantitative evaluation of the spread of taste by counting the number of chewing strokes needed to recognize the taste at designated areas of the mouth.
Methods: Forty-three subjects without missing teeth (19 females and 24 males, mean age: 30.0 years) were selected for this study. Newly designed sample foods made from 3% agarose containing 2% or 5% sucrose were prepared. The subjects were instructed to chew the sample foods and the number of chewing strokes was counted until they recognized sweetness at either a small area or the whole area of their tongues.
Results: Female subjects required fewer chewing strokes to perceive taste than male subjects for the 5% sucrose sample food. The number of chewing strokes increased as the taste spread on the tongue, and the number decreased with higher concentration of the sample.
Conclusion: The findings suggested that counting the number of chewing strokes to recognize the spreading of taste would be useful as a new gustatory test to clarify the sensation of taste.
