Intra-oral tactile sensation and aging in a community-based population.

Background And Aims: Intra-oral sensory function plays an important role in swallowing and food intake, yet the impact of aging on oral tactile perception is uncertain. This study examined the effects of age, ethnicity, and gender on tactile perception at specific intra-oral sites in a community-based sample of 372 Mexican-Americans (MAs) and European-Americans (EAs).

Methods: Four levels of air-pressure were delivered to sites on the anterior and posterior thirds of the tongue and on the velum.