The first clinical trials were carried out with the DentalSlim Diet Control electromechanical lock, which is installed on the patient’s first molars and simply does not allow them to open their mouth to eat. In such an obvious way, inventors from the University of Otago (New Zealand) have realized the possibility of controlling food intake for people suffering from obesity. Individually designed for each patient, the devices are installed on the upper and lower teeth (the sixth teeth of the permanent row).
Locking DentalSlim Diet Control allows the patient to open their mouth no more than 2 mm, which allows them to drink, speak and breathe, but not consume high-calorie solid foods. The first clinical trials were carried out on seven healthy obese patients. The state of the experimental subjects was monitored by questioning the level of comfort and quality of life.
As a result of a two-week experiment, the representatives of the control group reduced their body weight by an average of 6.36 kilograms, which amounted to 5.1% of their body weight. With a standard successful course of weight loss, weight loss is on average fixed at 3.79 kg.
The participants in the experiment noted that during the two weeks of the liquid diet, they had difficulty pronouncing certain words only a few times. At the same time, patients did not report a change in taste sensations or discomfort. As a result, all participants in the trial were satisfied with the result and were ready to continue their weight loss course with DentalSlim Diet Control.
The method of “locking” the jaws to reduce food intake has been known since the 80s of the last century. However, the mechanisms themselves were imperfect, and patients were at risk of choking when they vomited.
In addition, after a long restriction of movement, the subject had difficulty returning to everyday life and could not fully “control” the jaw performance. The patient’s gums also suffered from the installed mechanisms. As a result of the tests carried out then, some patients received serious psychological disorders.
The new electromagnetic lock DentalSlim Diet Control can be independently adjusted by the patient and, if necessary, can be completely de-energized and turned off. The developers noted that during the two weeks of the experiment, the subjects never took advantage of the provided freedom.
The creators of the original mouth lock believe that the fight against obesity can move to a new quality level with the full implementation of DentalSlim Diet Control. This is especially true during a pandemic, when obesity is one of the risk factors for COVID-19 patients. According to the WHO, 2.8 million people die each year from obesity, 650 million people suffer from some form of obesity, and 1.9 billion people are overweight.
