Department of Removable Prosthodontics and Gerodontology, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan.
J Oral Rehabil. 2012 Apr;39(4):261-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2842.2011.02264.x. Epub 2011 Oct 31.
The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of chewing force on salivary stress markers (alpha-amylase activity, salivary cortisol level and secretory immunoglobulin A secretion rate) as indicators of mental stress. Participants comprised 20 healthy men. The first set of saliva specimens (S1) was collected at immediately after a 20-min rest to evaluate stress markers. As stress loading, the participants were required to perform arithmetic calculations for 20 min, after which the second set of saliva specimens (S2) was collected. Each participant was then required to chew a piece of tasteless gum for 10 min, after which the third set of saliva specimens (S3) was collected. After a 20-min rest, the fourth set of saliva specimens (S4) was collected. Weak, habitual and strong chewing forces were assigned. Change rates of stress markers between S2 and S3, and S2 and S4 were calculated. A significant difference was observed in the change rate of cortisol levels between S2 and S3. Cortisol level decreased more under strong chewing than under weak chewing. No significant differences were observed in the change rate of amylase activity or s-IgA secretion rate among the three chewing forces. The results suggest that differences in chewing force influence the salivary cortisol level of the three stress markers, and that a strong chewing force induces a greater reduction in mental stress than a weak one.
本研究旨在探讨咀嚼力对唾液应激标志物（唾液α-淀粉酶活性、唾液皮质醇水平和分泌型免疫球蛋白 A 分泌率）作为精神应激指标的影响。参与者包括 20 名健康男性。第一组唾液样本（S1）在休息 20 分钟后立即采集，以评估应激标志物。作为应激负荷，要求参与者进行 20 分钟的算术计算，然后采集第二组唾液样本（S2）。然后要求每个参与者咀嚼一块无味口香糖 10 分钟，之后采集第三组唾液样本（S3）。休息 20 分钟后，采集第四组唾液样本（S4）。分配了弱、习惯和强咀嚼力。计算了 S2 和 S3 以及 S2 和 S4 之间应激标志物变化率。S2 和 S3 之间皮质醇水平的变化率存在显著差异。与弱咀嚼相比，强咀嚼时皮质醇水平下降更多。在三种咀嚼力之间，淀粉酶活性或 s-IgA 分泌率的变化率没有差异。结果表明，咀嚼力的差异影响三种应激标志物的唾液皮质醇水平，且强咀嚼力比弱咀嚼力诱导更大的精神应激降低。
