NEW YORK: A group of researchers at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York, recently conducted a study associating teeth losses to cognitive impairment and dementia.
They analyzed that tooth loss has been a risk factor for cognitive impairment and memory loss. Moreover, the impairment would increase with each tooth loss. However, further study showed that the timely use of dentures among older adults and good oral health would reduce the risk of memory decline.
According to the research, about one in six adults aged 65 or older have no teeth. In earlier studies, there is a strong association between tooth loss and memory impairment, with researchers providing a range of possible explanations for this link. A missing tooth can lead to difficulty chewing, which may contribute to nutritional deficiencies and create changes in the brain. A growing number of researches also points to a connection between gum disease, tooth loss and cognitive impairment. In addition, tooth loss may become the reason for life-long socioeconomic disadvantages that are also risk factors for cognitive decline.
"Each additional missing tooth was associated with a 1.4 per cent increased risk of cognitive impairment, and a 1.1 per cent increased risk of being diagnosed with dementia", according to the findings of the analysis conducted by the researchers.
However, missing teeth in adults were more likely to have cognitive impairment if they did not have dentures (23.8 per cent) than those with dentures (16.9 per cent). Moreover, an association between tooth loss and cognitive decline was not remarkable when participants wore dentures, according to the deeper analysis by the researchers.