We are dealing here with perhaps the most disturbing innovation of the year. New Zealand and British researchers recently unveiled a magnetic lock system intended for weight loss. For officials, this is a device within the framework of the fight against the global epidemic of obesity.
People who cannot control themselves may in the future be able to use a solution called DentalSlim. In a statement published on June 28, 2021, the University of Otago (New Zealand) said it had worked with British researchers to develop a magnetic lock. The objective? Impose a quasi-permanent jaw closure of people treated and thus, set up a liquid diet to lose weight.
However, the DentalSlim system may be a little too restrictive for some people's tastes. Indeed, the innovation has been massively criticized on the networks social, mainly in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. However, these reactions seem to be related to the appearance of the device. It must be said that the latter still looks more like an instrument of torture than a medical tool.
Lead author of the research, Prof. Paul Brunton explains that DentalSlim is a non-invasive instrument and reversible. According to the person concerned, it is an economical and attractive alternative to surgical procedures. According to the study published by the researchers in the British Dental Journal , obese women who tried the object for two weeks lost 6.36 kg on average , or 5.1% of their total weight.
If the results seem rather satisfactory, it is still a question of wearing the device permanently , so it can potentially become a living hell. Regarding the installation, a dentist fixes the mechanism directly on the jaw. This is made up of powerful magnets and nuts that cannot be unscrewed without the right equipment. In addition, the closure imposed by DentalSlim is not complete, allowing a fine opening of 2 millimeters. In addition, the dentist can of course unlock the tool in case of emergency (or abandonment).
If the benefits of a liquid diet as part of a slimming diet are undeniable, drifts can however appear. As part of the study on the use of DentalSlim, one of the volunteers broke down and melted chocolate which she then drank. In addition, the list of bad points characterizing this tool logically lengthens with a impediment of speech.
Nevertheless, those responsible for this innovation wanted to recall that the objective had never been to design a diet tool to be used over the long term. The researchers indicated that the use is relative to the necessary rapid weight loss prior to the installation of a gastric band . In any case, for DentalSlim to be accepted as a medical tool, further studies are needed, particularly regarding its potential psychological impact on patients.
