Impact of social wellbeing on tooth loss and cognition: A scoping review

The proposed explanations for the association between tooth loss and cognitive function have largely focused on systemic inflammation, mechanoreceptor feedback, and nutritive deficiencies. However, the role of social wellbeing in this relationship remains unknown. The aim of this scoping review is to explore the pathways linking different aspects of social function, collectively grouped under the umbrella of social wellbeing, to tooth loss and cognitive impairment.

An electronic database search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Embase. Reference lists of relevant articles were also searched. Data on the associations between social wellbeing, cognitive function and tooth loss was charted in an extraction form and summarised qualitatively.

From the initial search of 3293 records, 71 studies were included in the present review. Forty-seven studies investigated the relationship between social wellbeing and cognition, 21 studies investigated the relationship between social wellbeing and tooth loss, and only 3 studies investigated all three variables.

This review demonstrates the need for further research on tooth loss, cognition and social wellbeing in tandem and describes potential psychological, biological, cognitive, and behavioural mechanisms interlinking these factors. While substantial evidence was found for the association between social relationships and cognition, fewer studies explored the potentially bidirectional relationship of social wellbeing and tooth loss.

The implications of this review may guide clinicians to focus on the social consequences of tooth loss, which may have broader repercussions on cognitive health. The role of social support in helping older people cope with oral disease and the benefits of fostering positive lifestyle habits should not be underestimated.