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The Conversation
The Conversation
Elizabeth Oziegbe, Associate Professor of Dentistry, Obafemi Awolowo University

'Gain a child, lose a tooth': old saying holds true for women in northern Nigeria

Women who have children over a long time lose more teeth. Jacob Silberberg/Getty Images

Childbearing has an impact on the health of women, and the impact grows with the number of times a woman has been pregnant for longer than 24 weeks. Pregnancy and breastfeeding put energy demands on a woman and can cause permanent changes to a mother’s health.

What’s less well known is the relationship between parity and oral health. That’s despite a widespread customary belief that having an increasing number of children results in tooth loss. “Gain a child, lose a tooth”, or “for every child, a tooth is lost” are common proverbs in many societies. The biological basis of these beliefs is still questioned.

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