Relationship between the Palatal Pressure for Swallowing and the Texture of Sol and Gel Food Samples

Abstract

The palatal pressure while eating and swallowing various sol and gel samples was measured with six transducers embedded in an artificial palate fixed to the human hard palate. The relationship between the palatal pressure pulses generated while swallowing and the texture of various food samples was examined. The swallowing pulse appearing at the end of mastication could be classified into three types, and different kinds of pulse appeared on the palate with different subjects. The palatal pressure pulse when swallowing appeared as a decompressed pulse, being as high as 40 kPa at the decompression peak for those food samples requiring long mastication. The start of the decompression pulse was later at the posterior than at the anterior part of the palatal retainer. The decompression area of the pulse for those food samples requiring long mastication was much greater than that for the samples requiring short mastication. It is suggested that the decompression pulse is associated with transfer of the bolus upon swallowing. (Received May 31, 2004; Accepted in revised form March 7, 2005)