The British Orthodontic Society has issued a response to widespread coverage in the UK media concerning the consumption of ultra-processed foods that could negatively impact the development of children’s jaws. This was following research from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Catholic University of Valencia.
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 plays 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 British Orthodontic Society would also like to remind the public 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. More on this can be found here – https://bos.org.uk/news/british-orthodontic-society-bos-statement/
The British Orthodontic Society (BOS) is a charity and the voice of orthodontics in the UK. The BOS has a wealth of information on its website for patients. To find out more about orthodontic treatment, go to – www.bos.org.uk
