Table 4 Identification of smells (Sniffin’ Sticks) and tastes (taste strips) according to care need (nursing grade).
From: Care need and dry mouth as risk indicators for impaired taste and smell
Study participants (N = 190) | Without care need (n = 149) | With care need (n = 41) | p value* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Number of patients, n (%) | ||||
Gender, female | 108 (56.8) | 78 (52.3) | 30 (73.2) | 0.021 |
Periodontitis (CPITN) | 46 (59) | 17 (42.5) | 29 (76.3) | 0.003 |
Hyposalivation | ||||
Unstimulated | 56 (31.6) | 48 (32.4) | 8 (27.6) | 0.668 |
Stimulated | 63 (36.6) | 53 (36.1) | 10 (40) | 0.823 |
Correctly recognized smell | ||||
Orange | 156 (82.1) | 141 (94.6) | 15 (36.6) | < 0.001 |
Leather | 137 (72.1) | 119 (79.9) | 18 (43.9) | < 0.001 |
Cinnamon | 128 (67.4) | 115 (77.2) | 13 (31.7) | < 0.001 |
Peppermint | 155 (81.6) | 140 (94) | 15 (36.6) | < 0.001 |
Banana | 135 (71.1) | 120 (80.5) | 15 (36.6) | < 0.001 |
Lemon | 91 (47.9) | 78 (52.3) | 13 (31.7) | 0.022 |
Licorice | 136 (71.6) | 125 (83.9) | 11 (26.8) | < 0.001 |
Coffee | 149 (78.4) | 135 (90.6) | 14 (34.1) | < 0.001 |
Clove | 159 (83.7) | 142 (95.3) | 17 (41.5) | < 0.001 |
Pineapple | 109 (57.4) | 99 (66.4) | 10 (24.4) | < 0.001 |
Rose | 146 (76.8) | 132 (88.6) | 14 (34.1) | < 0.001 |
Fish | 155 (81.6) | 136 (91.3) | 19 (46.3) | < 0.001 |
Correctly recognized taste | ||||
Salty | 150 (78.9) | 126 (84.6) | 24 (58.5) | 0.001 |
Sweet | 164 (86.3) | 139 (93.3) | 25 (61) | < 0.001 |
Bitter | 155 (81.6) | 130 (87.2) | 25 (61) | < 0.001 |
Sour | 139 (73.2) | 122 (81.9) | 17 (41.5) | < 0.001 |
Mean (SD) or median (IQR) | ||||
Age, years | 66.7 (15.2) | 62.5 (13.8) | 81.9 (9.7) | < 0.001 |
67.5 (57–78) | 63 (55–72) | 84 (77–87) | ||
Total API, n | 3.4 (3.5) | 2.3 (2.5) | 7.4 (3.7) | < 0.001 |
2 (1–5) | 2 (0–4) | 7 (5–10) | ||
Chronic diseases, n | 2.6 (2.6) | 1.7 (1.6) | 6 (2.7) | < 0.001 |
2 (1–4) | 1 (1–2) | 6 (4–8) | ||
BMI | 25.4 (4.6) | 25.3 (4.6) | 25.6 (4.7) | 0.511 |
25 (22–28) | 25 (22–28) | 25 (23–28) | ||
DMFT | 18.7 (6.4) | 17.3 (6.4) | 22.2 (4.9) | < 0.001 |
20 (15–23) | 18 (13.5–22) | 23 (19–28) | ||
Root caries index | 0.3 (0.7) | 0.1 (0.2) | 1 (1.2) | < 0.001 |
0 (0–0.2) | 0 (0–0) | 0.6 (0.2–1.5) | ||
XVAS | 3.8 (3.3) | 3.9 (3.4) | 3.5 (3) | 0.490 |
4 (0–7) | 4 (0–7) | 3.5 (0–5) | ||
Salivary flow rate, ml/min | ||||
Unstimulated | 0.4 (0.4) | 0.4 (0.3) | 0.4 (0.5) | 0.789 |
0.3 (0.2–0.5) | 0.3 (0.2–0.6) | 0.3 (0.1–0.5) | ||
Stimulated | 1.2 (0.9) | 1.2 (0.9) | 1 (0.8) | 0.516 |
1 (0.4–1.6) | 1.1 (0.4–1.7) | 0.8 (0.5–1.6) | ||
Correctly identified odors, n | 8.8 (3.3) | 10 (2.1) | 4.4 (3.2) | < 0.001 |
10 (8–11) | 11 (9–11) | 4 (2–6) | ||
Correctly identified tastes, n | 3.2 (1.1) | 3.5 (0.8) | 2.2 (1.5) | < 0.001 |
4 (3–4) | 4 (3–4) | 3 (1–3) | ||
Correctly identified odors plus tastes, n | 11.9 (4.1) | 13.4 (2.4) | 6.5 (4.3) | < 0.001 |
13 (10–15) | 14 (13–15) | 7 (3–10) | ||
