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Childhood IQ predicts age-38 oral disease experience and service-use
William Murray Thomson1, Jonathan Mark Broadbent1, Avshalom Caspi2,3
1Department of Oral Sciences, Sir John Walsh Research Institute, School of Dentistry, The University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Insights
Childhood intelligence (IQ) is linked to midlife oral health. Lower childhood IQ correlates with poorer dental health, self-care, and visiting practices by age 38.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Dental Health
Background:
- Higher intelligence is associated with increased longevity, better health, and favorable health behaviors.
- Understanding the long-term impact of cognitive function on health is crucial for public health initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between childhood intelligence quotient (IQ) and dental health indicators at age 38.
- To explore the relationship between cognitive function in childhood and dental service utilization in midlife.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study of 818 participants from a complete birth cohort.
- Childhood IQ was assessed at ages 7, 9, 11, and 13 years and categorized ordinally.
- Dental health, self-care, and periodontal disease were assessed at age 38.
Main Results:
- Distinct gradients observed in dental caries experience, self-care, and periodontal disease by childhood IQ.
- Poorer oral health outcomes were associated with lower childhood IQ categories.
- Multivariate analysis confirmed these patterns using a continuous IQ score.
Conclusions:
- Childhood cognitive function significantly determines oral health and dental service use by midlife.
- Individuals with lower childhood cognitive capacity are likely to experience poorer oral health and engage in less favorable health practices.
- Public health interventions and dental services need to address the disadvantages faced by individuals with lower cognitive function.
Objectives:
Given that people with higher intelligence have been shown to live longer, enjoy better health and have more favourable health behaviours, we investigated the association between childhood IQ and a range of important dental health and service-use indicators at age 38.
Methods:
Long-standing prospective study of a complete birth cohort, with childhood IQ (assessed at ages 7, 9, 11 and 13 years) used to allocate participants (N = 818) to one of four ordinal categories of childhood IQ.
Results:
There were distinct and consistent gradients by childhood IQ in almost all of the dental caries experience measures (with the exception of filled teeth) whereby each was most severe in the lowest child IQ category and least severe in the highest; the exception was the mean FT score, for which there was no discernible gradient. Indicators of self-care and periodontal disease experience showed similar gradients, and multivariate modelling using the continuous IQ score confirmed the observed patterns.
Conclusions:
Childhood cognitive function is a key determinant of oral health and dental service-use by midlife, with those of lower cognitive capacity as children likely to have poorer oral health, less favourable oral health-related beliefs, and more detrimental self-care and dental visiting practices by age 38. There is a need to shape dental clinical services and public health interventions so that people with the poorest cognitive function do not continue to be disadvantaged.
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