The British Orthodontic Society (BOS) has said changes in jaw development could be due to many factors, not just the impact of modern, soft food diets.

The comments were issued in response to the UK media coverage following the release of a study which linked ultra-processed foods (UPFs) to children “developing smaller jawbones”.

This research from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Catholic University of Valencia studied the diets of 25 children (ages three to five). They found that the participants whose “diet mainly consisted of liquids and/or semi-solid foods had smaller gaps between their lower teeth than those who mainly had a solid diet”.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Laura Marques Martinez, one of the researchers, said, “Chewing plays a crucial role in the proper development of the jaws as it stimulates bone growth, strengthens facial muscles, and promotes proper dental alignment.

“Chewing solid and fibrous foods, such as fruits, vegetables, or natural proteins, exercises the jaws, helping to prevent issues like malocclusion (misalignment of teeth) and deficiencies in the size and shape of dental arches.

“On the other hand, diets based on ultra-processed foods, which are soft and require minimal effort to chew, negatively impact jaw development. These foods, by failing to adequately stimulate the maxillofacial muscles and bones, can lead to underdeveloped bone structures and increase the risk of malocclusion and respiratory problems.”

However, The Guardian noted, “the study was small, did not consider whether the foods were UPFs, did not follow the children to look at the arrangement of their permanent teeth, and cannot prove cause and effect.”

BOS response

Hayley Llandro, director of external relations for the BOS, said, “The theory that modern diets based around softer foods has led to jaw/dental changes over time (e.g. impacted wisdom teeth) is not new and has been around for some time. Changes to jaw development through diet could be possible, but this has likely occurred over many years of evolution. There are not only environmental factors in skeletal and tooth development - genetics play a significant role as well. Unfortunately, simply eating more food that needs chewing will not override our pre-existing genetic tendencies.

“However, as health professionals, we would of course support limiting the number of ultra-processed foods consumed as not only do these foods have an adverse effect on overall health, they are often high in sugar, leading to dental caries, which is also a major health issue in the UK. A healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables is good for any patient. We would also say to parents not to be concerned that they need to feed their children hard foods just to prevent the need for braces, as this is not a guarantee.”

The BOS added that there is no scientific evidence to suggest patients can change the shape of their face or improve their intelligence by chewing or holding teeth and the tongue in a closed position or indeed making any kind of facial movements.

For more information visit www.bos.org.uk

References are available on request.

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