An interesting article titled “Premature gray hair development in the interbrow region owing to the loss of maxillary first molars in young mice” written by Masae Furukawa and et. al. appears in Genes to Cells (published 20 February 2024). The article suggests that losing your teeth might also be affecting your appearance in a way you wouldn’t expect and suggests a link between missing teeth and premature graying hair in the eyebrows.
Chew on This: Less Chewing, More Gray Hair?
This study, the first of its kind, investigated the connection between reduced chewing due to tooth loss and the development of gray hair. Researchers extracted upper first molars from young mice and observed them for three months alongside a control group that kept their teeth. Mice missing teeth developed gray hair between their eyebrows, while the mice in control group maintained their youthful hair color.
The Science Behind the Silver Strands
The study suggests that reduced chewing weakens the trigeminal nerve, which plays a role in pigment production in hair follicles. Pigment, or melanin, is what makes hair have its color. When the nerve weakens due to less chewing, hair loses its pigment and turns gray. Compared to the mice that had their upper molars, the expression of tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP-2) mRNA was lower in mice with extracted molars.
So What Does This Mean for You?
More research is needed to confirm these findings in humans. However, it does offer some interesting insights. If you’re missing teeth, especially molars that are important for chewing, replacing them with dentures or implants might not just improve your ability to eat, it could also potentially help prevent premature graying in your eyebrows.
The Bottom Line: Brushing Up on Oral Health
This study adds another reason to prioritize good oral health. This study revealed that the development of premature graying was caused by a decline in chewing, its underlying mechanism is not known,Taking care of your teeth by brushing, flossing, and getting regular dental checkups can help you avoid cavities, gum disease, and tooth loss. And who knows, it might allow eyebrow hairs to stay with youthful-looking appearance.