Unilateral Mastication Evaluated Using Asymmetric Functional Tooth Units as a Risk Indicator for Hearing Loss

摘要

BackgroundSome previous studies reported hearing ability can be reduced by impaired masticatory ability, but there has been little evidence reported of an association between hearing loss and unilateral mastication. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between unilateral mastication (UM), estimated from individual functional tooth units (FTUs), and hearing loss in a representative sample of Korean adults.