According to research from a major university the cause of many common orthodontic problems by people in industrialized nations are due to their soft modern diet which than causes the jaw to grow too short and small relative to the size of their teeth.

In the study the university compared the shape of the cranium (skull) and mandible (lower jaw) in 11 globally distributed populations against models of genetic, geographic, climatic and dietary differences. They found that lower jaw shape, and to some extent the shape of the upper palate, was related to the dietary behavior of populations, while the cranium was strongly related to the genetic relationships of the populations.

In particular, the lower jaw is reflected by if the populations are primarily hunter-gatherers (meat eaters) or agriculturalist in nature (fruit and vegetable eaters). This therefore suggests that chewing behavior causes the lower jaw to grow and develop specifically in areas how food consumption is eaten, while the skull is not affected in the same way.

Overall, the meat eater groups had longer and narrower mandible, indicating more room for the teeth to erupt correctly, while the vegetarians had generally shorter and broader mandibles, increasing the likelihood of dental crowding.

The most interesting part of this study is that the rest of the skull is not affected in the same way as the jaw and that the skull more closely matches genetics.

To learn more about your jaw and to make an appointment with your local Gentle Dental Dentist or Orthodontist call 1-888-513-7436.