The Science of Mastication and Nutrition: A Dental Perspective

Abstract

Nutrition education is becoming increasingly important, and dental care for older adults needs to shift to a focus on maintaining and restoring oral function. Malnutrition is a common problem in healthcare and understanding nutrition is important for healthcare professionals. The lack of nutrition education for healthcare professionals is internationally recognized, and there is a need for more nutrition education in dentistry. Malnutrition is a problem of both undernutrition and overnutrition, and the coexistence of undernutrition & overnutrition in the older adult population is an emerging issue in Japan. Knowledge of the indicators and effects of malnutrition, nutrient interconversion and energy metabolism is important, and a balanced diet is necessary to achieve optimal nutrition. It is important to set nutritional intakes according to physical activity and target body weight.

This review summarizes the lectures given at the Japan Prosthodontic Society Kansai Branch Lifelong Learning Open Seminar held in January 2024.