Electrical Action Currents During Mastication

Abstract

By means of the electromyogram, the energy produced during chewing was measured. On photographs of the action currents, the amplitude of oscillation was read directly in millivolts. Differences in chewing habits can generally not be established by history taking. Most individuals consider that they chew a normal amount, though the vigor of mastication varies extremely. Objective analysis and measurement can portray the chewing habits and the functional values of various foods. Most of the modern staple foods require little mastication,not from the angle of duration but of intensity of the chewing action. This fact has been brought in causal relationship to a possible regressive process in the protoplasmatic component of enamel and dentin, involving a change from immunity to susceptibility to bacterial invasion, and leading ultimately to dental caries. The foods that require more mastication were found to be well-baked bread crust, undercooked rice, mature coconut meat, and, particularly, sugar cane. Contrary to common belief, toast, biscuit, chewing gum, raw vegetables and fruits require little chewing if the vigor and not duration of mastication is under scrutiny.