2024-07-03 18:02:16
The older a person gets, the more likely they are to lose teeth. And with tooth loss, the risk of obesity also seems to increase.
An adult’s natural dentition consists of 32 teeth – assuming all wisdom teeth are present. However, the risk of tooth loss increases with age.
Now US researchers have made the following discovery: the fewer teeth a person has, the higher the likelihood of obesity. They analyzed the medical records of 1,765 adults between the ages of 65 and 89. They were all treated at the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine between 2016 and 2022.
Almost 73 percent of the participants were either overweight or even obese, as measured by the so-called body mass index (BMI).
On average, the patients still had 20 teeth. However, functional chewing requires 21 teeth. And it was precisely with this number that the patients were best able to maintain a healthy body weight.
Each additional missing tooth increased the likelihood of being overweight and obese by two percent. If opposing molars were missing, the likelihood increased to seven percent.
The researchers’ explanation: “Many healthy foods, especially raw fruits and vegetables, are difficult to eat if you don’t have functional teeth,” said study author Rena Zelig. “One possible explanation is that people, especially older adults, who are missing teeth and have difficulty chewing, start eating foods that are easier to eat but less healthy, such as mashed potatoes, cookies or doughnuts. These foods usually contain more calories, fat and sugar, which leads to weight gain.”
Zelig makes a recommendation for dentists: “Dentists could potentially reduce the problem by teaching patients how to eat healthier foods more easily by peeling, cutting, cooking or blending. Vegetables can be added to a soup or stew and fruit to a smoothie or parfait.”
Previous studies have already shown that poor dental health is also associated with other physical impairments such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer.