Researchers from the Karolinska Institutet have found that structural changes in a middle-aged woman’s jawbone may indicate an increased risk of osteoporosis (decreased bone density) and fractures later in life. The research was published in the journal BMJ Open.
The scientists used data from the ongoing Women’s Health Study, which began in 1968. Each of the 933 participants in the study underwent medical and dental examinations at least twice during the follow-up period.
By 2005, women born in 1930 lost 0.9 cm, those born in 1922 lost 1 cm and those born in 1914 lost 2.4 cm.
The authors of the study revealed a relationship between the rate of growth regression and two indicators: loss of the outer layer of the jawbone and loss of the inner layer. According to the degree of thinning of the jawbone, it was possible to predict how much a woman’s height would decrease after 12 years. Further analysis, adjusted for potentially confounding factors (height, year of birth, physical activity level, smoking, weight, and education), confirmed the predictive power of the jawbone thinning analysis.
Height loss in women often accelerates after age 75 and is associated with an increased risk of illness and death, the researchers said. The scientists’ discovery will allow women at high risk of osteoporosis and fractures to be identified using dental x-rays. Early intervention will help slow the progression of their osteoporosis and increase their chances of living a healthy life in old age.
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