Researchers Tie Tooth Loss to Dementia in Very Old
People
Impossible to say if tooth loss has any real role in
bringing about the dementia
Oct. 10, 2007 – Although no one has the
explanation, researchers have found that tooth loss may predict the
development of dementia late in life, according to a report published in
the October issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA).
Numerous past studies have shown that patients with
dementia are more likely than patients without the condition to have
poor oral health. Few researchers, however, have examined the
relationship from the opposite direction, to determine whether poor oral
health actually may contribute to the development of dementia.
To that end, researchers from the University of
Kentucky College of Medicine and College of Dentistry, Lexington,
studied data from 144 participants in the Nun Study, a study of aging
and Alzheimer’s disease among Catholic sisters of the School Sisters of
Notre Dame. The researchers used dental records and results of annual
cognitive examinations to study participants from the order’s Milwaukee
province who were 75 to 98 years old.
“Of the participants who did not have dementia at
the first examination, those with few teeth (zero to nine) had an
increased risk of developing dementia during the study compared with
those who had 10 or more teeth,” the authors write.
They propose several possible reasons for the
association between tooth loss and dementia: not only periodontal
disease but also early-life nutritional deficiencies, infections or
chronic diseases that may result simultaneously in tooth loss and damage
to the brain.
However, they note, whether the tooth loss has any
real role in bringing about the dementia is impossible to say on the
basis of this study. “It is not clear from our findings whether the
association is causal or casual,” they write, urging further study.
Editor’s Notes:
This study was published in the Journal of the
American Dental Association, but the organization says it does not
necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of the American Dental
Association.
The not-for-profit ADA is the nation's largest
dental association, representing more than 155,000 dentist members. The
premier source of oral health information, the ADA has advocated for the
public's health and promoted the art and science of dentistry since
1859. The ADA Seal of Acceptance long has been a valuable and respected
guide to consumer and professional products. JADA, a monthly journal, is
the ADA’s flagship publication and the best-read scientific journal in
dentistry. For more information about the ADA, visit the Association's
Web site at
www.ada.org.
