The research team from Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University School of Dentistry found that people with dentures had a significant decline in nutrition markers. Since dentures do not provide the same chewing efficiency, it may alter the patient’s eating habits. This is believed to be the first study to report results of utilizing lab values of nutritional biomarkers and linking them with dental records!
For the study, the research team matched the dental records of more than 10,000 patients in Indiana with medical laboratory data, specifically markers for malnutrition. The laboratory tests included complete blood count, basic metabolic profile and lipid and thyroid panel tests, among others. They compared the lab results from two years before a patient received dentures to the two years after.
Researchers found that people with dentures had a significant decline in certain nutrition markers over those two years. People who did not wear dentures did not experience this decline. The marker levels were still within normal range, but researchers say there is the potential that the levels will continue to fall as more time passes.
The next steps in this research area are to look at other factors that may influence nutrition, including insurance status and dental clinic characteristics.
For more information, read the article below!
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jopr.13505
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