Food Texture Preference and Oral Clefts: A New Perspective from a Case-Control Study

Abstract

Objective

According to food texture preference (FTP), children can be categorized as soft likers (SL) or hard likers. This study explored the relationship between FTP and having an oral cleft in children of the mixed dentition stage. The hypothesis stated that having an oral cleft phenotype would shift a child's FTP toward soft-food textures.

Design

A case-control study that employed a validated child food texture preference questionnaire (CFTPQ) to assess FTP. Children's general demographics, food neophobia, and food intake data were collected using validated questionnaires. A pediatric dentist evaluated the children's dental status.

Setting

Data was collected in a dental teaching center and 5 public schools for cases and controls, respectively.

Participants

This study included 6- to 13-year-old children with treated oral clefts (n = 87) and their non-cleft peers (n = 413).

Main outcome measure

CFTPQ index.

Results

Cases demonstrated a significantly lower mean CFTPQ index (31.97 ± 16.20) compared to controls (42.07 ± 16.42, P