Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 7, 2026
08:47
Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
13.8K
Relationship between chewing ability and cognitive impairment in the rural elderly
Eun-Kyong Kim1, Sung Kook Lee2, Youn-Hee Choi3
1Department of Dental Hygiene, College of Science & Technology, Kyungpook National University, Sangju, Republic of Korea.
Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics
|February 19, 2017
Summary
Poor chewing ability in older adults is linked to cognitive impairment. This study in rural Korea found that reduced chewing function increases the risk of cognitive decline and dementia in the elderly.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Neuroscience
- Public Health
Background:
- The link between masticatory function and cognitive impairment is suggested but requires further investigation.
- Understanding this relationship is crucial for the well-being of the aging population, particularly in rural settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between chewing ability and cognitive impairment in elderly individuals residing in a rural area.
- To identify potential risk factors for cognitive decline related to oral health in older adults.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 295 Korean elderly individuals (≥70 years).
- Chewing ability assessed using color-changing gum; cognitive impairment evaluated with the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination for Dementia Screening (MMSE-DS).
- Potential confounders like socio-demographics, activities of daily living (ADL), and Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) were collected.
Main Results:
- Participants with lower chewing ability were older, more dependent, and had lower MNA and MMSE-DS scores.
- Elderly individuals with middle or low chewing ability demonstrated a significantly higher risk of cognitive impairment compared to those with higher chewing ability.
Conclusions:
- Poor chewing ability is significantly associated with cognitive impairment and dementia in the elderly population of rural areas.
- Maintaining good masticatory function may be important for preserving cognitive health in older adults.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:30Cognitive Development During Adulthood
1.0K
Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
1.0K
01:26Assessment of the Mouth
1.4K
A thorough mouth assessment, including inspection and palpation of the lips, gums, tongue, tonsils, uvula, and pharynx, is crucial in detecting potential health issues. Diseases ranging from oral cancer to systemic conditions like diabetes could be identified early through careful oral examination. This article provides a detailed guide on conducting a comprehensive mouth assessment.
Mouth Inspection
The inspection begins with visually examining the mouth for symmetry, color, and size.
Mouth Inspection
The inspection begins with visually examining the mouth for symmetry, color, and size.
1.4K
01:27Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age
295
Age-related pharmacokinetic changes are extensively documented, but understanding age-related pharmacodynamic alterations is relatively limited. This knowledge gap can be partly attributed to the complexity of developing appropriate measures of drug responses compared to bioanalytical methods for determining drug concentrations.Most information regarding age-related differences in human pharmacodynamics originates from cross-sectional studies. However, these studies assume that observed mean...
295