Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain

Korean Academy of Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine (대한안면통증구강내과학회)
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Repeatability of the Measurement of Electrical Taste Detection Thresholds in Healthy Young Females

  • Hee Noh (Graduate School, Chonnam National University School of Dentistry) ;
  • Yeong-Gwan Im (Department of Oral Medicine, Dental Science Research Institute, Chonnam National University School of Dentistry) ;
  • Byung-Gook Kim (Department of Oral Medicine, Dental Science Research Institute, Chonnam National University School of Dentistry)
  • Received : 2023.11.13
  • Accepted : 2023.11.26
  • Published : 2023.12.30
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Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the repeatability of the electrical measurement of taste detection on different dates and in different sessions in healthy young females. Methods: The sites of electrical stimulation were the tip of the tongue, the posterolateral border of the tongue and the soft palate on the right side unilaterally. The measurements were repeated over three consecutive days, three sessions per day and three times for each session in seventeen healthy females. The repeatability of the measurement was assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: In the dB unit, the ICC of the tip of the tongue and the soft palate was good (61.03 and 66.03, respectively); however, the lateral border of the tongue was a little lower (58.07). In the ㎂ unit, all three test sites had poor ICC. Variability was more significantly associated with the subject factor than with other factors such as trials, sessions and days in dB and ㎂ units. Conclusions: Electrogustometry, which measures electrical taste detection thresholds in the dB unit, is repeatable and acceptable for clinical use in assessing taste function in healthy young females.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

The authors express their gratitude to Hyun-Ju Cho for her contribution to the measurement of EGM.

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