Losing Teeth May Lead to Weight Gain, Researchers Report

Weight gain is significantly associated with having fewer teeth or losing the bone and gums that support teeth, researchers recently reported in the Journal of Periodontology.

The loss of teeth affects a person’s chewing ability, which can limit their healthy food choices, researchers said.

“These findings add to the growing body of evidence that periodontal health plays an important role in overall health, especially as we age,” Dr. Ana Becil Giglio, president of the American Academy of Periodontology, said in a news release.

“Maintaining healthy teeth and gums supports better nutrition, good habits and improved quality of life later in life,” added Giglio, a New York City periodontist.

For the study, researchers followed more than 900 people participating in a long-range health research project based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Memphis, Tennessee. When they entered the project, participants underwent an oral health examination that noted lost teeth and gum disease.

During four years of follow-up, nearly 12% of the participants gained at least 5% of their body weight, researchers found.

Those with fewer teeth and poorer oral health were more likely to experience weight gain, the study found.

Tooth loss can cause people to shun healthy fiber-rich foods like fruits and veggies in favor of softer eats that contain more calories, researchers said.

Molars that gnash together while chewing played a key role in weight loss risk, researchers found. People with missing molars had a 17% higher risk of weight gain.

“Loss of functional tooth units, especially molars, were associated with higher odds of weight gain among older adults over 4 years,” concluded the research team led by Natália Pola, a professor at the Federal University of Pelotas in Brazil.

People hoping to maintain a healthy weight – or even lose some pounds – should include good oral health as part of their strategy, researchers suggested.