Journal of Oral Biosciences· 2026Q1
Sex-specific associations between masticatory muscles, teeth, periodontitis, and adiposity
- 0citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Chewing muscle size, particularly the masseter and medial pterygoid, is positively linked to body fat indicators (BMI, waist circumference) in both sexes, with stronger associations in men over time.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- Masticatory muscle cross-sectional areas (masseter, medial pterygoid) are positively associated with BMI and waist circumference in both sexes.
- In men, the medial pterygoid muscle showed a primary association with adiposity indicators.
- A higher number of teeth was positively associated with masticatory muscle areas in both sexes.
- Increases in BMI and waist circumference over 10 years were linked to masseter and medial pterygoid muscles in men, but not women.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Objective The relationship between body fat and the masticatory muscles has rarely been investigated. In this study, we aimed to investigate sex-specific interactions among teeth, periodontitis, and masticatory muscles in relation to adiposity measures. Methods This study included 665 participants aged 30–93 years from the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-2) follow-up. The cross-sectional areas of the masseter and pterygoid muscles were measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); and anthropometric data were collected at baseline (SHIP-0) and after 10 years (SHIP-2). Regression analyses and adiposity impact models were used to examine sex-specific associations. Results The cross-sectional areas of the masticatory muscles were positively associated with body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). In men, the medial pterygoid muscle was primarily associated with adiposity indicators ( p < 0.001). Masseter muscle area was related to BMI and WC in both sexes, with WC attenuating the association with BMI. The positive association between the number of teeth and masticatory muscle areas was significant in both sexes (p < 0.001), whereas clinical attachment loss was negatively associated with adiposity only in women. The lateral pterygoid muscle was not associated with adiposity. Furthermore, gains in BMI and WC over the 10-year follow-up were associated with the masseter and medial pterygoid muscles in men ( p < 0.001), but not in women ( p > 0.30). A sensitivity analysis restricted to participants with more than 20 teeth confirmed the results for the complete cohort. Conclusions Masticatory muscles are associated with adiposity characteristics, presumably by modulating masticatory performance. These relationships were sex-specific and differed significantly depending on whether BMI or WC was evaluated.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Journal of Oral Biosciences, 2026 · DOI ↗
Continue with a free account
Ask the paper: 3 free questions a day about this paper; save it, get its citation, new summaries every day for your field. Takeaways are Premium.
Continue free on the webSign in with Google or Apple; no card needed. You come back to this paper.
On your phone:
Field: Complementary and Manual Therapy
Complementary and Manual TherapyHealth Professions