The Marriage Perk: Why Having a Spouse Could Mean More Teeth in Old Age
We often hear that marriage is good for your heart, but could it also be good for your smile? A major new study published in Geriatrics & Gerontology International suggests that for older adults, being married is significantly linked to keeping more of your natural teeth. The research, which analyzed data from over 21,000 Japanese adults aged 65 and older, found that the “marriage perk” is real—but it works very differently for men than it does for women. The Data: Spouses and Smiles The study, led by researchers from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES), compared individuals who had a spouse to those who didn’t (including those who were widowed, separated, or never married). The results showed a clear gap: Even after adjusting for factors like age, income, and education, the conclusion remained the same: having a partner in later … Read more