Missing teeth increase the potential for food obstruction in the airway because an inability to masticate food can result in larger chunks of food being swallowed.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Both the statement and the reason are correct and related.The act of chewing reduces food particle size.An inability to masticate food adequately can result in large chunks of food being swallowed,which increases the potential for food obstruction in the airway.Loss of even one permanent molar can decrease masticatory efficiency,which is defined as how well a patient prepares food for swallowing.

Missing Teeth Increase the Potential for Food Obstruction in the Airway