Device that locks jaw to tackle obesity sparks outrage

While we're battling the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers are creating devices that lock jaws to prevent people from eating. 

Researchers have recently come under fire over a new dental device that claims to muzzle obesity by literally sealing people’s mouths shut. 

The "fat-fighting" contraption, named the DentalSlim Diet Control, was reported about in a study in the journal, Nature.

The DentalSlim Diet Control would be fitted into the patient's upper and lower molars by a dentist. Once fitted, the device's intricate system of magnets and custom-made bolts allows the patient to open their mouths only about 1/16 of an inch, which will allow them to consume liquids without preventing them from talking or breathing.

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Professor Paul Brunton, who is a pro-vice-chancellor at the New Zealand University of Otago’s Division of Health Sciences, said in a press release: “It is a non-invasive, reversible, economical and attractive alternative to surgical procedures.”

Many social media users were not too pleased about the idea and shared their feedback. “And this, kids, is why ethics needs to be taught in science,” wrote a commenter on Twitter. “Good God, I thought medicine was past these kinds of torture devices.”

“Delete this. Delete the research team. Delete everything,” another Twitter user tweeted. 

"Have you considered wiring the professors fingers together so they can do less of this?" read another tweet.

Have a look at the device below:

Image Credit: Twitter/University of Otago