The Effect of Taste and Palatability on Lingual Swallowing Pressure

There is evidence that a strong, unpalatable, sour bolus improves swallowing in neurogenic dysphagia. It is not known whether other tastes may alter swallowing physiology. This study investigated the effect of moderate versus high taste concentrations (sweet, sour, salty, bitter) and barium taste samples on lingual swallowing pressure in ten healthy young adults, using a three-bulb lingual pressure array secured to the hard palate. Palatability of the samples was analyzed using the nine-point hedonic scale. Results showed that moderate sucrose, high salt, and high citric acid elicited significantly higher lingual swallowing pressures compared with the pressures generated by water. Pressures in the anterior bulb were significantly higher than those recorded from the middle or posterior bulb. There was no significant effect of palatability on lingual swallowing pressures. High salt and citric acid are known to elicit chemesthesis mediated by the trigeminal nerve. These results suggest that chemesthesis may play a crucial role in swallowing physiology. If true, dysphagia diet recommendations that include trigeminal irritants such as carbonation may be beneficial to individuals with dysphagia. However, before this recommendation more research is needed to examine how food properties and their perception affect swallowing in individuals with and without dysphagia.