Occlusal function associated with body composition in premenopausal Japanese women.

OBJECTIVES The goal of the present study was to investigate the relationship between occlusal function and body composition in 108 premenopausal healthy Japanese women aged 20-45 years. METHODS Pressure-sensitive sheets were used to measure occlusal function. Whole fat mass and lean mass, fat-free mass, and whole-bone mineral content were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). RESULTS After being adjusted for age and the square of height, the whole lean mass and grip strength of the large occlusal contact-area group were found to be significantly higher than those of the small occlusal area groups (p<0.05, respectively). In the 1-year follow-up study, changes in weight in the small-occlusal contact-area group and the low-occlusal force group were significantly larger than other occlusal-contact area or occlusal-force groups. The mean occlusal-contact area and occlusal force were both significantly smaller in subjects with partial dentures than in those without (p<0.05). CONCLUSION Large occlusal contact-area, high occlusal force, and no dentures may be associated with some good health conditions in premenopausal Japanese women.