According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost one in six persons age 65 or older have lost every tooth. The risk of cognitive decline increases with each tooth lost. Tooth loss is a risk factor for dementia and cognitive impairment. Researchers have found a correlation between tooth loss and decreased cognitive performance, with a variety of potential causes. It is crucial to seek treatment because this issue is primarily associated with old age, and mobility issues increase with ageing, dental treatment at home is regarded as one of the greatest solutions because older people also prefer to stay at home.
TOOTH LOSS: DO I NEED TO WORRY????
- While a loose tooth is common in children, it is alarming to see one in an adult. This happens when a tooth starts to lose support and gradually separates from the bone and gums. The tooth may shift with the least pressure, and eating or chewing may lead it to become even more loose.
- Inability to eat meats, fruits, and vegetables is impacted by severe tooth loss, which poses yet another obstacle to following a balanced diet. Severe tooth loss is defined as having 8 or less teeth.
- Twenty-six percent (26%) of people over the age of 65 have 8 or fewer teeth. 2 One in six (17%) persons 65 years of age or older has lost all of their teeth.
- Among adults 65 and older, the overall tooth loss fell by more than 30%, from 27% in 1999–2004 to 17% in 2011–2016.
- Compared to the comparison groups, older persons who are poor, have less than a high school education, or smoke cigarettes regularly are more than three times as likely to have lost all of their teeth.
WHAT IS DEMENTIA?
The general term for memory loss and other cognitive impairments is dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is one of several particular medical illnesses that fall under the umbrella word “dementia,” which is used to describe a variety of related conditions.
Brain abnormalities are the root cause of the disorders collectively referred to as “dementia.” Cognitive abilities, often known as thinking skills, begin to deteriorate as a result of these changes, and the impairment might be severe enough to affect daily functioning and independence. They also have an impact on relationships, behaviour, and feelings.
What You Should Understand About Dementia?
- Dementia affects more than 5 million people over the age of 65, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- A group of symptoms associated with brain degradation and issues with thinking, memory, and decision-making are collectively referred to as dementia.
- Although there are other types of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease is the most prevalent.
Age, heredity, race/ethnicity, prior or current head injuries, smoking, and health conditions like high blood pressure and high cholesterol are also risk factors. The cause of dementia is unknown.
METHODS FOR PREVENTING DEMENTIA
- Some risk variables, including age, genetics, or socioeconomic status, cannot be changed by an individual.
- The systemics disparities in healthcare that result in missed opportunities for diagnosis, inadequately financed research, and a lack of understanding of medical care must be changed, and we as a society must take responsibility for doing so.
- However, there are also actions people can do to lower their own risk of dementia:
- Eating a nutritious, well-balanced diet: Adopting a fish- and vegetable-rich diet like the Mediterranean one can help with cognitive performance.
- Increasing physical activity may help lower the risk of chronic illnesses including high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression that are associated with dementia.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN TOOTH LOSS AND DEMENTIA?
The Facts You Should Know About the Link Between Tooth Loss and Dementia
In the Journal of Post-Acute and Long-term Care Medicine, a team of researchers from New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing recently released a study that looked at the potential connection between tooth loss and dementia. In this investigation, data from 14 longitudinal studies that included information on 37,074 persons and 4,689 instances of adults with impaired cognitive function were analysed. These were their findings:
- The risk of cognitive impairment was 1.48 times higher in adults who lost more teeth.
- After adjusting for other variables, adults who lost more teeth had a 1.28 times higher chance of dementia diagnosis.
- Adults without dentures were more likely to experience cognitive decline (23.8% of those without dentures had cognitive impairment compared to only 16.9% of those with dentures) if they had missing teeth.
- The likelihood of cognitive decline increased with the number of missing teeth (each extra missing tooth raised the likelihood of cognitive impairment by 1.4% and the likelihood of being diagnosed with dementia by 1.1%).
The researchers note that the reason for this association between tooth loss and the risk of cognitive decline is unclear. Still, tooth loss can result in problems with chewing that might lead to nutritional deficiencies, chemical imbalances, or changes to the brain that affect brain function.
Also, poor oral hygiene might lead to increased bacteria in the mouth and to gum disease, which can cause inflammation and raise the risk of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain, leading to dementia. Tooth loss without the use of dentures might also be an indication of lower socioeconomic status and lower education level, both of which are independently linked to an increased risk of dementia.
CONCLUSION
- Researchers discovered that losing teeth was linked to 1.48 times higher risks of cognitive decline and 1.28 times higher risks of dementia. This was true even after taking into account additional potential confounding variables.
- According to the study’s findings, a person’s risk of dementia and cognitive decline increased by 1.1% and 1.4%, respectively, for every tooth lost.
- The mechanism behind the link between tooth loss and dementia and cognitive decline is unclear, though.
- They speculate that this might be caused by morphological changes brought on by eating without teeth or by the consequences of a different nutritional diet.
Researchers have discovered a connection between tooth loss and dementia, indicating that tooth loss may also be a risk factor. Researchers are advising people to maintain or enhance their oral health as a way of lowering their own risk of acquiring cognitive decline and/or dementia even though this link is still being investigated.
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