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Updated: Jun 10, 2025
08:47
Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
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Predicting cognitive function changes from oral health status: a longitudinal cohort study.
Min Thu Ya1, Yoko Hasegawa2,3, Ma Therese Sta Maria1,4
1Division of Comprehensive Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 2-5274 Gakkocho-dori, Niigata, 951-850014, Japan.
Scientific Reports
|October 15, 2024
Summary
Oral motor skills, like speaking rate (oral diadochokinesis), may predict cognitive decline in older adults. This highlights the importance of oral health assessments for early detection of cognitive changes.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Neuroscience
- Dental Medicine
Background:
- Emerging research suggests a connection between oral health and cognitive function in older adults.
- Long-term associations and predictive oral health factors for cognitive changes require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify specific oral health factors that predict changes in cognitive function over time in independent older adults.
- To explore the relationship between oral motor performance, physical function, and cognitive decline.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 583 older adults (mean age 72.7 years) over two years.
- Cognitive function assessed via Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE); oral health and physical performance variables measured at baseline.
- Statistical analyses included Pearson's correlation, Mann-Whitney U test, and multiple linear regression.
Main Results:
- Cognitive function declined in 196 participants.
- Relative change in MMSE (rMMSE) showed a significant correlation with oral diadochokinesis.
- Regression analysis identified oral diadochokinesis and knee extension strength as significant predictors of cognitive changes.
Conclusions:
- Declines in oral motor performance, specifically oral diadochokinesis, may indicate cognitive decline in older adults.
- Integrating oral diadochokinesis assessments into health screenings could facilitate early detection of cognitive impairment.
- Early detection may improve patient outcomes and reduce overall healthcare costs.
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