SOUTH KINGSTOWN, RI—At the conclusion of a controversial 2-year study from the University of Rhode Island, researchers have concluded that the most effective method of losing weight is for an individual to have all of his or her teeth removed.
These findings stem from a carefully designed experiment in which more than 300 volunteers were randomly assigned to one of four weight loss interventions: diet and exercise, a strict vegetarian diet without any special exercise, a low-carbohydrate diet, and having all permanent teeth removed.
"The theory was pretty straightforward," explains Professor Aaron Dalmage, 47, the lead author on the project. "We postulated that removing all teeth would discourage an individual from overeating, in part by limiting what they could comfortably consume. For example, most people need their teeth to both bite off a chunk of say, a triple western bacon cheeseburger, and then also to break that bite into smaller pieces to assist in swallowing and then later digestion. The removal of their teeth then creates an obstacle to both of those steps in eating."
The highly-cited researcher also took note of some additional positives of teeth removal. "Interestingly, we also found that having no teeth makes it very difficult for people to correctly order high-calorie foods at restaurants, so that was a nice added benefit we did not foresee."
Questioned about just how much more effective it is to remove all teeth than other, more conventional weight loss methods, the researchers indicated that although the average weight lost through the other methods over the study period was 22.1 pounds, removing all teeth averaged a staggering 68.3 pounds per individual. The researchers state that the results were not necessarily consistent, however, as some participants actually gained weight even after having all teeth removed.
"Those were some rare cases," stated Dr. Dalmage. "Anecdotally, it seems to be due to a combination of the loss of the ability to bite and chew nutritious foods such as kale and salmon, and a tendency to consume liquefied high-calorie foods, such as milkshakes and ice cream." The researchers thus are confident in their findings, but recommend caution to anyone who is considering having all of their teeth removed for weight loss purposes.
The research has also not been free from criticism in its ethics. Indeed, a notable number of obesity and nutrition researchers has questioned the use of such a permanent manipulation: permanent teeth do not grow back, and the procedures for implants and prostheses can be expensive and uncomfortable. To this, Dr. Dalmage recommended that The Colon reach out to some of the patients who agreed to follow-up contact.
Betsy Fellows, a 50-year-old mother of 3 was 274 pounds at her heaviest, and seems satisfied with her involvement in the research. "Oh yeth, I am thwilled to have been in thith thtudy," she shared. "I lotht 124 poundth! I have not been thith thin thinth I wath in high thcool. I thuppothe I do mith my teeth thometimeth, but it ith tho woth it to feel thith good!"
Mrs. Fellows, who now works part-time as a motivational speaker, explains that after her teeth were removed, she quickly lost weight and was even hospitalized for a time before she started consuming protein drinks and fruit smoothies to stay alive. She also noted that she has saved a few hundred dollars that she would have otherwise spent on dental care and solid foods, so that she is now able to afford to go out more often and sing karaoke, a favorite pastime.
Although the researchers remain optimistic about their findings' applications, they recommend that people speak to their primary care doctors and dentists about the pros and cons of complete teeth removal, to ensure that it is the right move for them. They also emphasize that there may be other ways to lose weight that people could try before taking this step.
"Our goal here is to help people be their best selves," said Dr. Dalmage. "For some people, a sensible diet and exercise is the path to do that. For others, it's irreversibly extracting each of their teeth."