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The impact of tooth loss on cognitive function.
Pablo Galindo-Moreno1, Lucia Lopez-Chaichio2,3, Miguel Padial-Molina2
1Department of Oral Surgery and Implant Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Granada, Campus Universitario de Cartuja, s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain. pgalindo@ugr.es.
Clinical Oral Investigations
|December 9, 2021
Summary
Complete tooth loss (edentulism) is strongly linked to cognitive decline, including memory and concentration problems. Maintaining natural teeth through oral health promotion may help preserve cognitive function in adults.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
- Gerontology
Background:
- Cognitive decline is a growing public health concern.
- Existing evidence on edentulism and cognitive decline is limited by small sample sizes and few covariates.
- Large-scale epidemiological studies are needed to confirm the association.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the epidemiological association between edentulism and cognitive decline.
- To assess the impact of the number of remaining teeth on cognitive function.
- To identify risk factors for cognitive decline in a large population sample.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from two large USA national health surveys (NHIS 2014-2017 and NHANES 2005-2018).
- Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between edentulism and cognitive problems (memory, concentration).
- Covariates included age, gender, socioeconomic status, education, cardiovascular health, BMI, lifestyle factors, and mental health status.
Main Results:
- Edentulism was significantly associated with higher odds of cognitive decline.
- A dose-response relationship was observed: fewer remaining teeth correlated with greater cognitive impairment risk.
- Age, socioeconomic status, education, and mental health were also key predictors of cognitive decline.
Conclusions:
- Edentulism is a significant risk factor for cognitive impairment.
- Maintaining oral health and functional teeth may be crucial for preserving cognitive functions like memory and concentration.
- Public health initiatives focused on preventing tooth loss could help reduce the incidence of cognitive decline.
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