Unilateral Chewing Frequency and Self‐Reported Mastication Satisfaction: A Cross‐Sectional Study

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the association between unilateral chewing frequency and self-reported mastication satisfaction while taking into account other demographic and psychological factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2018 and June 2020. Included participants were adult patients attending the Clinica di Chirurgia Maxillofacciale e Odontostomatologica di Trieste, Italy. Pearson chi-square and independent samples t-tests were used to determine the association between mastication satisfaction and unilateral chewing behaviour frequency, sex, depression and somatization scores. Afterwards, binary logistic regression was conducted to assess the relationship between self-reported mastication satisfaction and unilateral chewing behaviours while controlling for covariates. RESULTS: A total of 1425 participants with a mean age of 49.7 ± 17.6 years were included. Overall, 58.5% of the participants were females and the majority (83.3%) reported mastication satisfaction. Pearson chi-square indicated a significant association between unilateral chewing frequency and mastication satisfaction (p < 0.001). Binary logistic regression indicated that frequent engagement in unilateral chewing behaviour was associated with a reduction in the odds of reporting satisfactory mastication. Study participants who reported unilateral chewing behaviour 'all of the time' showed the lowest likelihood of satisfaction (OR = 0.17). Female sex (OR = 0.69) and higher somatization scores (OR = 0.91) were associated with lower odds of mastication satisfaction, whereas higher depression scores were associated with slightly increased odds (OR = 1.04). CONCLUSION: Limited mastication satisfaction was associated with frequent unilateral chewing. These findings highlight the potential relevance of self-regulation strategies in managing habitual chewing patterns and supporting masticatory performance.