Association between restoration of missing teeth with dentures and cognitive function.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Dental Science
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Tooth loss is a prevalent issue, particularly among older adults.
• Cognitive impairment, including dementia, poses a significant public health challenge.
• The relationship between oral health, specifically tooth loss and its restoration, and cognitive function remains an area of active investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and meta-analyze observational studies investigating the association between denture restoration for tooth loss and cognitive impairment.
• To quantify the risk of cognitive impairment in individuals with tooth loss, comparing those who do and do not receive denture restoration.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive search of five electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, CNKI) was performed from January 2000 to January 2024.
• Six observational studies with a total of 24,252 participants were included in the meta-analysis.
• Risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using a random-effects model, with quality assessment and publication bias analysis conducted.

Main Results:

• Individuals with tooth loss who did not wear dentures had a 1.27-fold higher odds of cognitive impairment compared to those with dentures (1.02-fold odds).
• Each additional missing tooth increased cognitive impairment risk by 1.009 times in the non-denture group, versus 1.003 times in the denture group.
• Publication bias was significant in the non-denture group but not in the denture restoration group.

Conclusions:

• Denture restoration appears to be associated with a reduced risk of cognitive impairment in individuals experiencing tooth loss.
• These findings suggest that timely denture rehabilitation may play a protective role in mitigating cognitive decline.
• Further longitudinal and interventional studies are warranted to establish a causal relationship.