Today, adults will lose fewer teeth as they age. Which of the following must be true, too?

Question

Today, adults will lose fewer teeth as they age.  Which of the following must be true, too?

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Question restatement: The prompt says that today, adults will lose fewer teeth as they age. Which of the following must be true as a consequence?

Option A: 'Adults will have less filled teeth'—This claim ties fillings to the number of teeth lost, but a reduction in tooth loss does not inherently imply fewer fillings. Fillings depend on prior decay and treatment history, not directly on how many teeth are lost in aging.

Option B: 'Adults will have less teeth at risk for decay'—If more teeth remain because fewer are lost, it does not automatically reduce the number of teeth at risk for decay. Each remaining tooth still has a risk of decay, and the overall count of teeth at risk could stay the same or even increase with more teeth present.

Option C: 'Adults will have more teeth at risk of decay'—This follows logically: if adults lose fewer teeth over time, they keep more of their natural dentition. With more teeth present, there are more surfaces at potential risk for decay, so the aggregate number of teeth at risk can increase or, at minimum, not decrease simply due to fewer extractions. This aligns with a straightforward per-tooth risk framework.

Option D: 'Adults will have less teeth at risk for periodontal disease'—Periodontal disease risk is influenced by gum health, hygiene, and other factors; simply retaining more teeth does not guarantee a reduction in periodontal disease risk. In fact, having more teeth can introduce additional sites at risk for periodontal issues if hygiene is not optimal.

Putting these together, the reasoning suggests that keeping more natural teeth as one ages tends to increase the total number of teeth that could be at risk for decay, assuming other factors remain constant, whereas the other statements do not follow as directly from “losing fewer teeth.”

Note on misconceptions: A common error is assuming fewer teeth lost automatically lowers all decay-related risk or reduces fillings; however, decay risk is per tooth, and retaining more teeth adds more opportunities for potential decay unless hygiene and preventive care also improve. Similarly, periodontal risk does not automatically decrease with more teeth preserved, especially if aging is accompanied by other risk factors.

Overall, the option describing an increase in the number of teeth at risk of decay is the one that best aligns with the logical implications of retaining more teeth with age.

Today, adults will lose fewer teeth as they age. Which of the following must be true, too?

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