Background and aims: There is an important role of the neck sensory motor system in control of body posture and balance, and it is reasonable to believe that the jaw sensory motor system can directly and indirectly influence the modulation of the postural control system. The purpose of this study was to evaluate possible effects of dynamic jaw position while chewing on the postural control system.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared the mean center of gravity (COG) velocity during quite standing on a foam surface with eyes closed during three test conditions: (i) with resting jaw position, (ii) with open jaw position, and (iii) while chewing standard bolus of chewing gum. One hundred and sixteen normal healthy male subjects (average age 31.56 ± 8.51 years; height 170.86 ± 7.26 cm) were recruited for the study. Their COG velocity (deg/s) was measured using the NeuroCom® Balance Master Version 8.5.0 (Clackamas, OR, USA). Statistical analysis: Data was tested by the Friedman test.
RESULTS and conclusions. The results show that COG velocity decreased significantly while chewing in comparison to both open and resting jaw position (p < 0.0001). Our finding corroborates previous studies and suggests that the jaw sensory motor system can modulate postural control mechanisms. Gum chewing activity can enhance the postural stability during upright standing on an unstable surface and in the absence of visual input in healthy young adults. Our results should be taken into consideration in treatment and rehabilitation planning for patients with postural instability.