Adelaide Dental School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.
JDR Clin Trans Res. 2021 Oct;6(4):460-462. doi: 10.1177/2380084421995096. Epub 2021 Feb 15.
The mouth is pivotal in the generation of flavor, the pleasure of eating, and the selection of food. Flavor-representing the integration of olfaction (smell) with gustation (physiologic taste) and as influenced by oral somatosenses-is rarely afforded attention in oral research and dental practice. This article considers the interrelationship between oral health and flavor and highlights gaps in current knowledge. Altered oral function associated with operative and restorative treatment can feasibly alter the perception of flavor through diverse ways. Oral diseases and the generation of biofilms on restorative materials have potential to influence the oral microbiota and the perception of flavor. Alterations in masticatory function (through tooth loss, restorative materials, and prostheses with nonbiological surfaces and shapes) compounded by associated influences in the composition and quantity of saliva can affect the release of odorants and tastants from foods and beverages. Furthermore, changes occur in the perception of flavor throughout life and are significant in the aging and medically compromised population with the potential to affect nutrition and pleasure. Dental research and clinical practice should be at the forefront of biomedical science in understanding and promoting the importance and relevance of flavor in the well-being of patients. However, more research is required to guide clinical practice in consideration of olfactory and gustatory function as a component of total patient care. This commentary highlights the research gaps in knowledge pertaining to the association between oral health and flavor and the significance of flavor to dental practice.
口腔在产生味道、享受食物和选择食物方面起着关键作用。味道代表了嗅觉（气味）与味觉（生理味觉）的融合，并且受到口腔感觉的影响，但在口腔研究和牙科实践中很少受到关注。本文考虑了口腔健康与味道之间的相互关系，并强调了当前知识的差距。与手术和修复治疗相关的口腔功能改变可能通过多种方式改变味道的感知。口腔疾病和修复材料上生物膜的产生有可能影响口腔微生物群和味道的感知。咀嚼功能的改变（通过牙齿缺失、修复材料以及具有非生物表面和形状的义齿和修复体），加上唾液组成和数量的相关影响，会影响食物和饮料中气味和味道物质的释放。此外，味道的感知在整个生命周期中都会发生变化，在老龄化和身体状况不佳的人群中变化显著，可能会影响营养和享受。牙科研究和临床实践应该处于理解和促进患者健康中味道的重要性和相关性的生物医学科学的前沿。然而，需要更多的研究来指导临床实践，考虑嗅觉和味觉功能作为整体患者护理的一个组成部分。本评论强调了与口腔健康和味道相关的知识差距，并强调了味道对牙科实践的重要性。
