Dentists, the Jaw and Chiropractic !

A single session of chiropractic care increases maximal bite force in healthy individuals with potentially long-lasting effects!

This year continues to be a great one for the Centre for Chiropractic Research. One of our studies that has recently been accepted for publication showed that a single session of chiropractic care increased jaw muscle bite strength in a group of healthy individuals (1). In this study, we measured the bite force of 28-subjects jaw muscles which was assessed before and after a single session of chiropractic care or a control intervention (sham adjustment) and then again one week later.

The chiropractic care given to these healthy people, who had never received chiropractic care before, comprised of full spine adjusting wherever subluxations were found through clinical assessment. The results of this study showed that bite force significantly increased in the chiropractic group (by 11%) compared to the control group (no significant difference). This group difference was also seen a week later where the chiropractic group bite force remained increased (by 13%) while the control group decreased (by 6.3%).

This study is really interesting because it showed that adjusting the spine impacted jaw muscle strength, which is controlled by cranial nerves. This supports the growing body of research that suggests that chiropractic care impacts human performance by changing brain function (2-5). Further research is now needed to better understand the link between chiropractic care and jaw function.

This research was undertaken in collaboration with Koç University in Turkey; Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, Aalborg University in Denmark, and Life University in the United States of America. The study was funded by Koç University, Life University and the New Zealand College of Chiropractic. For more information on the New Zealand College of Chiropractic Centre for Chiropractic Research, and ways that you can support future research like this, please visit http://chiropracticresearch.ac.nz/
References:
1. Haavik, H.; Özyurt M.O.; Niazi, I.K.; Holt, K.; Nedergaard, R.W.; Yılmaz, G.; Türker, K.S.; Chiropractic manipulation increases maximal bite force in healthy individuals. Brain Sciences 2018, Article accepted for publication.

2. Haavik, H.; Niazi, I.K.; Jochumsen, M.; Sherwin, D.; Flavel, S.; Turker, K.S. Impact of spinal manipulation on cortical drive to upper and lower limb muscles. Brain Sciences 2017, 7.

3. Haavik Taylor, H.; Murphy, B. Cervical spine manipulation alters sensorimotor integration: A somatosensory evoked potential study. Clinical Neurophysiology 2007, 118, 391-402.

4. Lelic, D.; Niazi, I.K.; Holt, K.; Jochumsen, M.; Dremstrup, K.; Yielder, P.; Murphy, B.; Drewes, A.M.; Haavik, H. Manipulation of dysfunctional spinal joints affects sensorimotor integration in the prefrontal cortex: A brain source localization study. Neural plasticity 2016, 2016, 3704964.

5. Haavik, H.; Murphy, B. The role of spinal manipulation in addressing disordered sensorimotor integration and altered motor control. Journal of electromyography and kinesiology: Official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology 2012, 22, 768-776