HOUSTON (KIAH) — Diet and exercise can help you lose weight. Or you can try this new product that locks your mouth shut.
A new weight loss device called the “DentalSlim” just came out, and people are comparing it to a medieval torture device because it locks your mouth shut using magnets.
It goes on your top and bottom molars and only lets you open your mouth 2 millimeters, forcing you to stick to a liquid diet. It does come with a key to open it if there’s an emergency.
It’s basically like having your jaw wired shut.
The DentalSlim does appear to make you lose weight, at least in the short term.
An article published in the British Dental Journal reported that a group of seven women who tested the device lost about 5.1% of their body weight but complained the device was hard to use.
The Guardian reports that The University of Otago clarified the intent of the device: “The intention of the device is not intended as a quick or long-term weight-loss tool. Rather, it is aimed to assist people who need to undergo surgery and who cannot have the surgery until they have lost weight.”