Recent research has found that a person’s teeth “biorhythm” can affect weight gain in adolescent years. A biorhythm is a cycle that a part of the body goes through. This interesting finding suggests that those with shorter cycles are less likely to gain weight, while those with longer cycles typically gain weight faster. This can be useful to know, and can help to predict and potentially prevent weight gain in adolescence.

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Weight gain during adolescence can be linked to many factors, with recent research suggesting that our teeth have the potential to play a part in this – which may come as a surprise to some.

The length of the “biorhythm” of teeth, which is a cycle that each part of the human body goes through, appears to be linked to weight gain [1]. This interesting finding is another example of the big role our teeth have to play in our physical health.

Background

The link between our teeth and weight gain has been discussed in the past heavily. Existing research does seem to largely suggest that poor oral hygiene is associated with weight gain [2].

Other factors that affect weight gain includes genetics, dietary habits, exercise levels, financial situation and the social environment a person lives in. For example, those with a high calorie diet who lead a sedentary lifestyle are very likely to gain weight.

Our teeth, like all other body parts, go through a biorhythm. This relates to a period in which tooth enamel forms. Most teeth biorhythm cycles last 5-10 days [1].

Study

The study was carried out by an international team at the University of Kent in England [1]. Then, their findings were published in the Communications Medicine journal.

The study involved 61 participants, consisting of 34 females and 27 males. These participants are all part of the ongoing Biorhythm of Childhood Growth project that is taking place in Dunedin, New Zealand.

Over a period of 14 months, the weight gain of the participants was monitored. Teeth that fell out – which is common around the age of the participants – were analyzed.

The discarded teeth contained information that the researchers were able to use to determine the biorhythm that each child had seemingly gone through.

The results of the weight gain were cross-referenced with the findings gleaned from the discarded teeth. Then, the researchers were able to put together the data and make their conclusions [1].

The results showed that those with a faster dental biorhythm saw smaller gains in weight and body mass. Therefore, those with slower dental biorhythm’s saw larger gains in weight and body mass [1].

The fastest biorhythms took place between 5 and 6 days. These were the adolescents that gained the least weight over the 14-month period [1].

Moreover, the findings also showed that for those whose biorhythms took 7 or more days, that they suffered from more weight gain over the 14-month period [1].

In fact, those with slower biorhythm’s were six times likelier to have an abnormally high body mass index [1]. This shows the impact that longer biorhythms can have.

What this means

It is important to remember that all adolescents go through rapid changes during puberty. Muscle, bone mass and stature are among the areas that change hugely [3].

However, the researchers weren’t expecting such large changes. It goes to show that the biorhythms identified by the researchers has a large impact.

Dr. Mahoney of the University of Kent, spoke of his team’s findings, which he labelled as “exciting” [4]. Looking to the future, Mahoney said that the next step “is to determine if the link we have discovered extends to related adverse health outcomes for adults” [4].

Mahoney has suggested that this could help with prevention, as he suggested that “teeth may hold a record of this information many years before” any health problems arise [4].

Weight gain is crucial to avoid wherever possible. Consequences of weight gain include obesity, an increased risk of heart problems and a higher potential to develop Diabetes. Therefore, having the findings of this research is very important.

Thinking points…

1) This study involves looking at the topic of weight gain. A common cause of weight gain is unhealthy food consumption and a sedentary lifestyle. These unhealthy foods also typically contain high levels of sugar, therefore causing tooth decay. If you do consume sugary foods, try and work out practical ways of lowering your intake. Your dentist may be able to recommend some ways of changing, why not have a discussion with them?

2) This article is a useful reminder of the importance of our teeth, and the impact they have on the rest of our body and overall physical health. Therefore, it is crucial to remember to look after our oral health, which includes having excellent oral hygiene. Furthermore, an important part of this is to attend regular dental check-ups, as these provide a dentist with the chance to review your oral health, and suggest treatment if needed. Consider booking an appointment now!

What we offer at Taradale Dental

Taradale Dental is a Calgary dental clinic that provide its patients with a range of treatment options and advice aimed at improving oral health.

It is crucial to brush your teeth at least twice a day and to floss regularly. Moreover, eating healthily and trying to avoid sugary foods and drink is important.

We advise our patients to attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a regular dental check-up. When problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals.

Here at Taradale Dental, we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, tooth whitening and Invisalign™! Many people find that these treatments have a positive impact on their appearance, confidence and self-esteem.

In addition, all of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Taradale Dental are in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.

We would love you to visit our Taradale Dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://taradaledental.ca.

References

[1] Mahoney, P., McFarlane, G., Loch, C., White, S., Floyd, B., Dunn, E. C., Pitfield, R., Nava, A., Guatelli-Steinberg, D. (2022). Dental biorhythm is associated with adolescent weight gain. Communications Medicine. 2 (99). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-022-00164-x.

[2] Distinctive Dentistry. (2022). Having Clean Teeth Makes Proper Weight Management Easier. Available: https://www.distinctivedentistry.com/blog/having-clean-teeth-makes-proper-weight-management-easier/. Last accessed: 26th August 2022.

[3] Taylor, R. W., Falorni, A., Jones, I. E., & Goulding, A. (2003). Identifying adolescents with high percentage body fat: a comparison of BMI cutoffs using age and stage of pubertal development compared with BMI cutoffs using age alone. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 57: p764-769. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601608.

[4] University of Kent. (2022). Dental biorhythm is associated with adolescent weight gain. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-08-dental-biorhythm-adolescent-weight-gain.html. Last accessed: 26th August 2022.