High-fat foods contribute to the thinning of the bone tissue that holds teeth in place.
Researchers at the State University of New York at Buffalo conducted tests that showed there is a relationship between the degree of obesity and gum disease.
Experts noted that inflammation caused by obesity directly affects bone breakdown. Depletion of bone mass is one of the main signs of gum disease affecting tooth loss.
Scientists conducted tests on two groups of mice, which showed that the rodents who ate foods high in fat lost more percent of their bone mass. The other group of mice, on the other hand, sat on a low-fat diet.
According to U.S. dentist Kate Kirkwood, the periodontium is affected by obesity, but the mechanisms underlying this relationship are not yet fully understood.