CHICAGO, September 10, 2003 --(HealthNewsDigest.com)
Changes in diet because of tooth loss could increase the risk of developing
chronic ailments, including cardiovascular disease, according to a study in this
month's Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA).
In the study, researchers assessed the
relationship between tooth loss and changes in diet over an eight-year period
among 31,813 male health professionals. They focused on consumption of specific
foods and nutrients associated with cardiovascular and other systemic diseases.
These included fruits,vegetables, certain vitamins, fiber, cholesterol and
specific types of fats.
"The results of this study support the
detrimental impact of tooth loss on dietary intake," the Harvard University
researchers concluded. "Our results suggest that changes in diet owing to tooth
loss could contribute to an increased risk of chronic disease that has been
associated with poor dentition."
During the study period from 1986 to
1994, 78.3 percent of the men did not lose teeth, 18.8 percent lost one to four
teeth, and 2.8 percent lost five or more teeth.
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In general, the researchers reported
that study participants changed their diet in a healthier manner over the eight
years. They reduced their consumption of saturated fat and cholesterol, and
increased their consumption of most beneficial nutrients and fruits and
vegetables.
However, according to the study, the
dietary change of men who lost five or more teeth was unhealthier than that of
men who lost no teeth.
For example, men who lost five or more
teeth had a greater reduction in intake of vitamin E, a significantly smaller
reduction in consumption of dietary cholesterol and a smaller increase in their
intake of dietary fiber and whole fruits than those who did not lose any teeth.
In contrast, men without tooth loss had
greater reductions in daily dietary intake of saturated fat and cholesterol.
They also had greater increases in dietary fiber, carotene and fruits compared
with men who lost teeth.
Researchers also found that men who
lost more teeth were more likely to stop eating hard-to-chew foods such as
apples, pears and raw carrots while they maintained similar or increased
consumption of soft foods such as bananas, cantaloupes and cooked carrots.
www.ada.org.
www.HealthNewsDigest.com
Last Updated October 2004
