Midnight snacks bad for teeth

COPENHAGEN, Denmark/LEIPZIG, Germany: Eating food late at night contributes to tooth loss regardless of the type of food consumed, according to American and Danish researchers. A possible reason for this could be a change in saliva flow, which is important for removing debris in the mouth.

Researchers at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Copenhagen University examined data of 2,217 men and women between the ages of 30 to 60, who were taking part in the Danish arm of a World Health Organization medical study known as MONICA (MONItoring trends and determinants of CArdiovascular disease).

They assessed the participants’ oral health, eating behaviour, general health and other characteristics in 1987/88 and again in 1993/94 and found that 8 per cent (173 subjects) could be classed as nocturnal eaters. Nocturnal eaters consume a quarter or more of their daily calories after their evening meal and wake up and have a snack in the middle of the night at least twice a week.

The researchers also found that the nocturnal eaters had lost more teeth at the later point in the study than the non-nocturnal eaters, even after taking into account potential influencing factors like age, smoking status, and how much sugar or carbohydrate there was in their diet.

While dentists may not be able to stop their patients feasting in the middle of the night, Dr Jennifer Lundgren and colleagues say they should make them aware of the associated risks. “Practitioners should be aware of the oral health implications of nocturnal eating, increase screening and oral health education efforts among nocturnal eaters and make treatment referrals when appropriate,” they say.

The study will be published in the August print issue of Eating Behaviors.